Nemesis
by Anna Marcelli Palmer
Summary: A murder, the fall of a hero, the personal nightmare of an amorous girl, a creator turned against his own creation. A race against time.
1. Chapter 1

**Nemesis, By Evangeline Archer**

**Copyright by Evangeline Archer , August 2009, all rights reserved.  
**

**I do not own any of the characters, only the love I feel for them. If I did, then Sega would be the dominant videogame company. Unfortunately for them, I am only fifteen, so anyways, forget it! I am just the writer!**

* * *

PROLOGUE: Nocturnal Visitor

Tick, tick, tick.

The small, round clock on the wall continued its monotonous anthem, declaring lackadaisically that it was already midnight, but nobody seemed to hear its weak voice. In the peaceful darkness of the room, the only sound to stir this acoustic routine were the fake, loud screams that came from a certain black box resting on a wooden piece of furniture.

Hands being brought together behind his head as a cushion, the young man had made himself comfortable in an obsolete, perished armchair. Eyes half-closed, one couldn't say whether he was awake or had already entered the world of dreams. He needed some rest, after an exhausting day full of duties and literally no time for himself. The male murmured something at a low tone, then exhaled heavily and gave a clear indication about his current status by starting to snore gently.

Then, suddenly, the screams stopped and the screen went immediately black. Repeated patters followed, echoing along with the clock. Step, step, step. A calm, chilling breath. Silence.

Shimmers in the nocturnal black truth, eyes opened, wide with fear. Someone was there, right next to him, his breath dreadfully caressing his ears. A cold, metallic, sharp surface touched his neck slightly. His heart hammered chaotically beneath his ribcage, a single drop of sweat tumbled torturingly from his forehead. He gulped.

"Dare you move a muscle, Tough Guy, and I swear it will be more painful than I was planning it to be", a deep, hoarse voice grunted from behind. Despite not being able to face the mysterious invader, the man would bet that he was smirking with every word he pronounced.

_'Think of something. Anything. Say something, do something. Move. Think, think, THINK!'_

He opened his mouth several times before any sound was actually heard. "Who are you...?", he finally stammered, subconsciously knowing it was no use.

He would actually...die.

A chill was sent through his body as the thought came to his mind, blocking malignantly his respiratory route. Death; a sad perspective, considering his age. He had much to see, but would precociously be prevented from enjoying the sunlight, or the light sea breeze fondling revivingly his face. He blinked twice, tough as he had always been, in an attempt to suppress the salty liquid which came to his eyes.

A sarcastic laugh.

"Does it matter, whatsoever?" his anonymous nocturnal visitor mocked calmly.

Instead of giving a verbal reply, the man moved his head slightly in a silent, cautious nod. A weak scream escaped his lips, for the blade had just brushed against the vulnerable skin of his muscular neck. Something cool and viscous tumbled its way down his torso, and as the knife was slowly being thrust deeper into his flesh, more of it moistened his fur, coming out of the wound with successive throbs.

Eyes closed, waiting for an end to come. Then a whisper followed; devastated, sad, but brave. A dying arm struggled to move, a finger pointed at the picture on the small table, in which a girl was smiling blissfully, her eyes sparkling with love and youthful enthusiasm. Behind her the surroundings were sunny and full of green, rare flowers adding to the unspeakable natural beauty. But as he glanced at the image the only thing that caught his attention was her face; now he would never be able to tell her how much she meant to him.

"She...she knows nothing...", he stuttered out of breath, pain penetrating his robust body repeatedly, desperately begging for an end to this torture to come. His heartbeat slowed down, until it reached a complete halt. The tormenting sensation gave its place to a peaceful one. Muscles loosened. The raised arm fell lifeless to the side of the armcair.

Gloved fingers wrapped around the dagger, the dark figure pulled the knife from the victim's body and put it in a plastic bag he carefully hid in the depths of a small, leather one. A grin appeared on his face as he prepared himself to leave the apartment.

"Nothing personal, Tough guy", he declared coldly, taking a last glimpse at his prey, now blackish in death.

Marching his way towards the door in a rush, the figure left like a rude guest. The shadows of night shrouded him, until he couldn't be seen anymore.

The apartment was now silent, and the clock's voice echoed like a complaining bewail. The sun would rise in a few hours, letting the light fill the horizon, and the tragic event that was to hit the headlines had already occurred. An uncertain smile having been formed on his pale face, the man's eyeballs had frozen forever on the woman's beloved ones.

* * *

The creature's hands trembled as he looked at the phrase. A sweat drop moistened his forehead and run between the eyes. His friend. Rival. Companion. He didn't exist anymore. Averting the face from the gathered masses, a certain hedgehog struggled not to break, for the very first time in his life.

The paper fell on the ground after a carefree dance with the air.

_RENOWNED HERO IS FOUND DEAD IN HIS OWN APARTMENT - CULPRIT REMAINS UNKNOWN_

To be continued...

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**In the next chapter, we'll see who the hero is, and who is accused of the murder. In the meantime, while reviewing, you can tell me who you think the victim is! Please R&R. Thank you.**

**I owe an apology to all of you guys who waited to see a new chapter on my two last stories, The chronicle of loss and What I've Been searching for. I am still working on them, don't worry! It is just that this idea hit meh...and if you like sci-fi/drama/romance/mystery, stay tuned and this will become the story for you!**

**Evangeline Archer~**


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

**Nemesis **_**a Sonic The Hedgehog novel by Evangeline Archer**_

_Chapter 1: Guilty_

The prohibitive yellow tape had carelessly been attached to the front door, its sole purpose being to prevent the gathered masses from entering the crime scene. A curious crowd had been formed outside the apartment, in an attempt to find the occurrence that would fill their day with interest. Shouts, whispers, upset steps and a ruthless troop of journalists equipped with cameras and microphones resulted in a terrible, vertiginous commotion.

Police officer Mark Andrews' years of experience had taught him the fact. Though, he would rather be at home, wearing his comfortable, fuzzy flippers. A relaxing drink in front of the TV, delightfully combined with his old, worn, but still beloved armchair; the perspective sparkled inside his brain, then exploded, leaving behind a sad heap of ashes, still warm from it. After all, it was his job. Tough, but compulsory, at least if he wanted his family to sleep on a bed and eat from plates, which was, probably, the only thing the cop could ask for, considering his income.

"Mr. Andrews?" a rather preoccupied voice stirred him, penetrating his ear. Brought back to reality in the most poignant way of all, the old man turned slowly to face the speaker.

"Hmm?"

"I have been talking to you for some minutes now?"

Eyes met with two devastated, angry, ones. Standing right in front of him was a cobalt hedgehog, quite younger than the officer. Long, untamed quills waved with every move of his head, adding to his already impressive characteristics. Slender, athletic figure. Gloved hands crossed before his chest. Emerald, expressive eyes, currently staring at him.

Andrews exhaled heavily.

"Of course, I was just thinking of something...", he muttered, "Sonic, right?"

The renowned Blue Blur confirmed the guess in a silent nod. Surprisingly, the fact that somebody hadn't recognized him didn't seem so tragic, for the very first time. All the hero wanted to be told was that what he was besetting was nothing more than a lame hoax. The loss was just too much for him to bear. Lowering his eyes to meet blank, violet ones, lips parted to utter a single word.

"Knuckles"

The officer sighed. Taking a glimpse at the corpse lying peacefully in the morbid lake of the victim's own blood, a thought came to his mind for the millionth time in his career._ Why do good guys always die young and those bastards live? What kind of game are you playing with us, Mister I-like-to-mess-with-my-creations?_

Sonic felt a palm on his shoulder, touching him gently in consolation, which, much to his surprise, belonged to Mark Andrews. Pain depicted in his look, the young male sighed. The world's ever famous protector and fearless savior was about to break, a word previously unknown to him. It was simply too hard to be in a room so reminiscent of the precociously lost guardian of the Master Emerald. The realization came as a punch in the stomach; they wouldn't fight again, rivaling each other's skills, nor would he ever tease him again about his hidden feelings for a certain Ivory Bat.

Ears twitched in anxiety, eyes grew wide. Palm being brought to his forehead due to the feeling he was starting to perspire, Sonic opened his mouth to talk. Nevertheless, no sound echoed.

_Oh, god. Rouge. How am I gonna tell her? She won't bear it..._

The hedgehog leaned over the crimson, lifeless body, barely restraining his tears. Shimmers of light appeared and vanished in a flash, but he paid no mind. As if it came from another dimension, a voice came to the ears, enthusiastic and fake.

"_...The renowned hero Sonic The Hedgehog has just arrived at the crime scene. Devastated by the loss he leans over his dead friend, as you can see on your screens. Meanwhile, commotion has been caused on account of the murderer remaining obscure, and extreme theories that behind this abominable action is the notorious Doctor Robotnik. Stay tuned and see the drama of being a hero as it unfolds. Barbara Mars, channel two news" _

"Shut. Up. You. All." the phrase was pronounced at such a low tone that it was no louder than a whisper. Those obnoxious creatures only knew how to turn pain and distress into money and profit.

Ravens. All of them. Gathered over a corpse to summon today's food.

Eyes got sealed, hands made their way to the hero's head. Voices started to get more and more intense.

"_It is said that he had an affair with a GUN agent..."_

"_Maybe he knew something that could be proven dangerous. It is said that-"_

"_We are from Station Square daily, can we enter the scene? Are there any fingerprints? Anything to hint who the culprit is? Mr. Andrews?"_

"_He was so young to die...I bet he got mixed up with the wrong situations, it just happens all the time. After all, he had been tricked by Robotnik several times..."_

Rage started to boil in a slow internal torment. Deep emerald orbs sparkled with anger, the emotion ready to explode from inside him, along with all the unpredictable consequences.

"_Knuckles the Echidna was the last of his kind. The master Emerald will be in grave danger now that he is dead"_

"_Wait, what about that Tikal girl?" _

"_Be sure, the emerald was a strong motive for someone to kill the poor guy. According to the legend, it encloses immense power"_

"SHUT UP YOU ALL!"

Silence. Dense, suffocating, poignant, it made minutes pass as if they were hours. As though it all were nothing but a dream, people froze for what seemed like forever, countless pairs of eyeballs being stuck on a certain figure like laser beams. In a spectacular show of synchronicity, everyone took an indefinite step back.

Sonic gulped and a trembling palm hesitantly touched his lips. The deafening cry had just escaped his mouth. The young male gasped in realization.

The public was still staring at him in shock. Words ran short in his tired mind. Lips moved doubtfully a number of times, nevertheless no sound echoed. He just stood there, immobile and numb, a chill dancing its way towards his spine at the thought of all those looks on him.

Then, unexpectedly, waking up from his living delusion, the azure hedgehog discerned it; among the gathered masses, commotion came. He heard his name being uttered, not with admiration, but blatant disgust and fear. A child, with all of its youthful naivety, pointed at him. The two police officers at the door whispered something to one another. Hands forcefully grabbed both of his shoulders.

It all ended in a flash, and it seemed to Sonic that, somehow, it just _couldn't _be him living all this. Surroundings, voices, sounds, images passed in front of his eyes in a ruthless succession. Powerful arms dragged him into a car, photographers following them everywhere in a desperate attempt not to lose a single moment.

Nothing remained in his memory, leaving him appalled in a small, dark room, wondering how he had ended up in a place like that, so unfriendly, so...inappropriate for someone like him.

The only thing he remembered was the memory of Amy's eyes at his, looking at him with a sad face, as a woman walked up to Andrews and informed him that, according to the clues that came to light, the one most likely to have committed the crime, was none other than the worlds protector and ever famous hero, Sonic The Hedgehog.

To be Continued...

* * *

**Evangeline Archer: This is a mystery/romance/sci-fi story. It will be like a short novel, so please stay tuned and review, and I will love you.**

**Sonic: Don't! She torments me just to make the suspense more intense!**

**Evangeline Archer: Says you. We are only at the beginning....**

**Sonic: AAAARRGH!**

**Evangeline Archer: *laughs* Poor you. Ummmm...Disclaimer?**

**Disclaimer(Distracted): Oh? Yes...?**

**Evangeline Archer *glares*: Don't you think you forgot something?**

**Disclaimer: Ah, yes; She doesn't own nothing except for the story, and officer Andrews.**

**Sonic: Thank God....**

**E.A. *glares*: Shut up, hedgehog! Sega made you a werehog, so you should thank me instead for treating you so nicely!**

**Sonic: Hmph!**

**Disclaimer: Shoot! It never ends...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Νot a chapter, more of an insight into Egghead's pshych. What is happening on the other side?**

* * *

Chapter 3: Die, hedgehog

He could see him. Weak. Devastated. Pathetic. Alone.

Slowly, devilishly, lips were stretched to a smile of sheer pleasure, forcing eyes to gleam in malignant bliss behind distorting, black glasses. Yes. His infernal genius found himself absolutely indulging in the unprecedented spectacle. No words could describe the feeling that tickled his senses, bulging dangerously inside the mind, ready to launch him in the addicting paradise of euphoria.

It was not just beautiful; it was _staggering. _

Head resting in his hands, almost lifeless, his cobalt nemesis could be seen through the enormous monitor before him. Pathetic, weak, unable to do anything, maybe for the very first time in his life. The Doctor smiled widely, and his eyes shined eerily in the darkness of the base. Now he would learn how it feels like to be the defeated one. To be hated by everybody. To be icorrigibly, conclusively, absolutely, damn alone.

Teeth gritting maliciously, those mere, ever yearned for words, were uttered, a metallic, self-indulgent tone in his voice.

"Die, Hedgehog"

Robotnik turned off the small lamp, and exited the room. He would have a drink, happy as he felt.

For the first time in years.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The sun hid himself behind the mountains. The first time in years without a hero out there to take care of the fragile balance of the world. Nevertheless, no mourning echoed, nobody pertained to the Blue Blur they used to worship, nowhere. People are the kind of the heartless species that forgets, and that's what they did. The only sound to stir up the deadly peace of night was the morbid, deafening laughter that filled the base, the Station Square, the Universe.

_I created you._

_I own you._

_I will destroy you._

_Die, hedgehog. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4: Unexpected Visitor_

**January.  
Time goes by.  
Yet,  
no smell.  
No picture.  
No sound.  
No time makes it down here.  
**

**Time goes by.  
But not for me. **

* * *

_**( Extract from telephonic conversation from Mark Andrews to police agent Serena Black, 10:00 pm) **_

_**[[[...Hello? ]]]**_

_**Hey, Serena. It's me. Where are you?**_

_**[[[...In the crime scene. Look, mr. Andrews, it's pretty loud out here, and there are those damned journalists- GO HOME, PEOPLE! There's nothing for you to see here!- Yeah, can you hear me?]]] **_

_**Yes...Listen, I want you to tell me the situation over there-**_

_**(signal problems) **_

_**Serena?**_

_**[[[….]]]**_

_**[[[ I am here, Mr Andrews...There were actually many odd facts regarding the victim itself...plus...I feel a bit concerned about the fact that the case is officialy closed, and we disobey the orders, **_**we-**_**]]]**_

_**Don't mind that-if they ever catch us I'll assume all responsibility. Anyway, and you were saying...?**_

_**[[[...apparently, the guy had something to do with the legend of Angel Island. I understad you are against modern-day heroes hokus pokus-]]]**_

_**And I will firmly remain, Serena; please tell me if you've got something useful-and within the borders of logic, **_**please. **

_**(silence)**_

_**[[[-but, -]]] **_

_**Tangible facts, my child. It's a murder verdict at stake. **_

_**[[[Please, Mark, just gimme a sec to explain myself: We found his other friends, and explained how important it is for them to reveal us some things under the current circumstances...]]]**_

_**...As if they would admit it's all a bunch of sh-**_

_**[[[Can you just listen for once? One of his friends, named Miles Prower, obliged. I don't know how or why-but the Island exists.]]]**_

_**Remind me not to let you talk to my children-**_

_**[[[….He's going to lead me there. Now. ]]] **_

* * *

He had thrown himself on the rigid mattress, fingers nervously playing with the fabric beneath, as if in a desperate trial to find shelter. Remote noises came distorted- a man cursing "those fucking cops", a visitor crying silently, a man whispering. Steps.

No thoughts wandered in his complexed mind. There was nothing to think of, and enough time had passed for him to realize the true extent of the emotional and reputational breakdown he was through. It felt...itchy, like the headline of a joke that remained between the lips, yet devastating enough for Sonic to think his life had literally hit pay dirt.

...And then, it approached, bubbling like salt in boiling water, and dominated his existence. It tingled. It hurt. It screamed in the skull. Was it rage? Disappointment? Loss? Injustice? Love? Whatever motivated it, every time he dared think of giving in to the situation he had found himself in out of the blue, the _feeling _would kick in.

His friend was dead, leaving behind a whole dozen of people bleeding from the loss; of the muder they accused him, on short notice, as if he were an infamous criminal. The world left unprotected, staggered uncertainly on the thin line of peace and prosperity Sonic had brought for them. For them! For them to shove their ungrateful and inane butts in his face!

That was the faith they had in him! That was the love Amy felt, to believe the first slander going round.

Then it hit him; when you do this kind of job, you have to be prepared for loneliness. A few people can follow you , and fewer will bond with you. The world doesn't really admire you; they just cope with your face, and it is something they have to do, since it is always on their screens, the covers of everything they read, and every poster cast alongside the road. They don't friggin smile because of sheer adoration. It is because your face traits are always in a position that shows off your teeth. And it is an infectious disease. They have no choice.

Shit. Everything is shit; ideals, people, fame.

And the cops. Especially those would save a dear position in his black list. Their intervention to the whole strange situation was obvious, blatantly obvious, and the animal could not but wonder who the hell had so much power at their disposal to manipulate the system as if it were comprised of indoctrinated puppets instead of thinking organisms. But alas, everything was blurred, nobody was willing to inform him of the happenings of the outside world-and, to tell the truth, he 'd rather be up there investigating on himself rather than listening to what the media or the officer in charge have to say.

Then again, the mystery had more aspects than an polyedron with ten faces, and his mind had had too much to be able to resurrect them all and solve the puzzle.

* * *

"This mystery is worse than a polyerdrom with ten faces" the unexpected visitor had -as always- the smallest of intentions to make himself understood. Pulling the outdated chair forward, he leaned over the officer's desk and exhaled, lightly. "Unquestionable evidence, huh?", the question -if it was even one- could double as a two-sided knife; the speaker could either be cynical or just plain curious. Either way, the newly assumed policeman would rather become a doctor-like his mother had always told him to- at moments like that. Persons that made clever questions weren't his kind of thing; much less when they said _polyedron with ten faces_ instead of just _decaedron. _Not that he was sure about either: anyhow, it was annoying.

"And your name, sir, is?", a change of subject could prove itself vital. Not that the young man knew the reason of the whole comedy, since the evidence was nearly nonexistent, and it was the first time nobody said nothing about the verdict; the case had closed before the Station even knew it had opened, as though everybody knew in advance what had happened. But orders were orders, and he wouldn't risk his position by giving out booklets entitled _We Lied to You. _

Plus, the guy was irritating to no end.

"My name is none of your business", the stranger was still in the same position, hidden somewhere beneath a worn leather jacket that was too big for him. He raised his look to freeze his interlocutor in his tracks with a single glance. The officer fidgeted awkwardly in his chair, passed an arm through his black hair and sighed.

"I cannot give you the right to visit the prisoner, Sir, without knowing your name-we keep a file regarding those things"

The statement heralded a long, self-indulgent silence. It seemed as though a million years had passed when the human realized with utter dread that the visitor had burst into a mad, thunderous, deep laughter. What was with that guy, anyway? He seemed...strange, and the characteristics-the few that weren't hidden under the hood of that peculiar jacket- reminded him of someone...anyway. Whatever the reason was, not only did mr. None Of Your Business bring him in a difficult position, but to one he'd easily compare-if he knew the word- with a slow, merciless internal massacre; the stranger saw every thought beneath the skull, no matter what, with those deep, infinitely, insanely deep, eyes.

"I d-don't see what can b-be considered as f-funny, Sir", he muttered obscenities in his head. The courage was all gone, and fishes out of the water were immediately obligated to leave the Police. Oh, God.

Gloved hands pulled the black material back, revealing a face not to be forgotten; a real painting made of anger, hidden thoughts, and...

...Red eyes.

Jesus, sweet jesus! Hadn't he seen _that_ before?

The hedgehog fumbled his pockets a little, and then held a card before the terrified face of the policeman. You could tell he was having a hell of a time teasing that ridiculous braiwashed _thing, _but in fact, he knew he'd rapidly get tired of the situation. Humans were getting of no interest.

The other male gulped. "G.U.N central, comrade Shadow", he slowly read.

"Hmph. Now we're getting somewhere, no?"

Nod.

"And you won't be telling anyone about me getting here, no?"

Nod.

"So you think I can go in after all, _no?" _

Nod.

Shadow smiled, made a small, comical bow and, smug as ever, hovered his way to the dimly lit corridor.

* * *

There are certain times during one's life, when they face the utterly strange and absolutely unexplainable experience of just forgetting a whole five minutes of their life. Officer Mark Andrews was one of the lucky people not to have had it...until that moment. No one must have ever drived in the city immersed in such an endless chain of thoughts. Never.

Serena's words had always had a devastating effect on the once young male. This time, though, had been different; it wasn't his hidden feelings towards the woman, nor the tension her voice brought him, nor the thought of his wife and their family problems; the mass of work in the office had become twice as big with the announcement of that insane murder. Later, he, the one who had taken over the case, and his few assistants, had been told that it was actually an order -to get rid of Sonic The Hedgehog- and the case closed. Everyone told him not to interfere anymore, and concertrate on some thief gang afflicting Station Square. But there was more-and he could feel it, smell it, hear it, everything.

No; the reason Andrews picked up the first cab that passed in front of him and went to find what his counterpart had found out was plain anxiety- the self-convicting feeling that took over since they heard of that damned case; it was just a kid, for God's sakes! He had seen Sonic, his eyes...were saying the truth! It was not him. Then again, who could it be?

The walked past Station Square Diner, turned left, and reluctantly turned again to enter a small, quiet dead end. His steps lead him in front of the last door, a friendly one, vividly painted and with three small steps. Before Mark Stepped foot on the first, he realized he'd been holding his breath; what if they found out? What if he indeed get away with it and learned something he'd rather not? What about the woman's safety?

_Stop that, silly ol' curmudgeon! No time to worry! Just ring the damn doorbel!_

He succumbed to the internal order, and, with a tad bit of more bravery, he climbed up the three steps and pressed the small rectangular object that informed the passersby who the owner was. Soon after, the door withdrew with a screech and an extremely thin and rather plain young woman appeared behind it, carelessly wrapped in some old-fashioned, girly clothes. She raised her eyes to her visitor, and once having saw who it was, her grey eyes smiled warmly.

"Mark! I didn't expect you'd come so early..."

The officer was immersed watching the strap from her dress, that had slipped from the one side, feeling a sudden urge to put it right. Then, the female's voice brought him back to the world of the living. "Oh, but I had to, Sers. I'd been waiting all day for you to come back and tell me what you found out. When you called, I literally fled here! Well, does such a thing really exist? Tell me!"

Serena passed her hands through her hair and looked behind for a moment. "Ugh, don't push me like that...I...I had a terrible day"

"What happened?"

The girl tried to smile, and pulled the chain in front of her, opening the door for her friend to pass.

"Come upstairs-do you want some coffee?"

Andrews nodded.

"Yeah, there's a lot to tell you"-her voice now echoed morbidly in the emptiness of the stairs, along with her delicate steps- "like the fact that the appartment the victim lived was bought last year-and the fact that none of his friends seemed to know that-except for one".


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: A Memo On The Fridge**

**_~Someone said that  
you only appreciate something  
when you lose it. Irony is  
I loved you then, I love you now,  
and only the gaping wound under my chest  
reminds me of what I could have done,  
but never did. _**

* * *

For the last weeks, a certain pair of jade eyes had doggedly stayed fixated on the poor light that made it to penetrate that tiny window. Unmoving, physically and emotionally paralyzed and terribly, _devastatingly _tired, the world's once most loved hero had devoted every minute of his new reality to that small, almost disheartening timekeeper mocking at him from the upper side of the wall; as for the window itself, it had nothing special on it, apart from that strange quality of prison windows-that is, it always seemed the same, as though time froze forever by the very moment you stepped foot in a cell.

Sonic's current state of mind could successfully be compared to some kind of extremely convoluted and fairly pointless gourmet sauce: it entailed dozens of motley thoughts mixed together, and with no practical results. Many pieces of the same puzzle swam in the abyss of the unconscious, eager to be put together correctly and give the much yearned solution; Pieces that, no matter what the combination was, never seemed to match. As though many of them were missing. Or-or even more dreadfully, as though someone had replenished the gaps with pieces from another puzzle.

Things would sure be better if he had some access to the outside world, so as to enrich his understanding of the happenings. The first obstacle was obvious: Knuckles himself, a loner, a man whose life was devoted to a duty that kept him away from the civilisation, and had no substantial enemies. Why on earth would someone like his best friend leave the Island and rent an apartment downtown? The only safe conclusion to be made was that the echidna indeed was conscious of the upcoming danger-otherwise, why so great a secrecy? On the other hand, Knuckles' enemies were none other than his own. If any of them was the culprit, then why hadn't they attacked _him_ instead? Or him also?

Then, there was also the verdict itself. Just one day after everyone was informed of the crime the police had managed to _scrutinize the crime scene, find unquestionable evidence, and carry out indisputable conclusions. _So, to the eyes of any logical person it would seem as if they were in a hurry...but for what? And what that so-called "evidence" had been, to be so definite? Presumably, the case was either that the murderer had somehow created fake clues of a scenario that included him as the protagonist, or-the azure male shuddered at the mere thought- the police had _had _to accuse him of the crime; the common coefficient was that someone, be it cop or lawbreaker, wanted to get rid of him.

Third place on his list of insoluble mazes won something totally irrelevant to the whole situation, but that had, admittedly, hurt Sonic the most: Amy's demeanor. Ever since the speedster could remember himself, that specific, other times irritating and others painfully lovely gal had been there. Deep inside, a life in prison couldn't be compared to a life without her girlish, nerve breakdown-incusing voice. Everything he was, all the belief in himself, every inch of existence that comprised what people perceived as Sonic The Hedgehog, plainly wouldn't be the same without Amy. How could she be a lie...all of the things she'd said...She couldn't be yet another random fangirl obsessing over a popular face, oh, heavens, no!

_Oh, sure, she was madly and selflessly in love with you just for who you are, and all of a sudden believed that specific "you" she held so dear is capable of killing Knuckles. _

Perturbed and utterly confused, the adolescent hardly held back a yelp in the taste of salt between the lips; so, that was it, and the fairytale was over. Maybe it was his fault as well. Maybe taking all those blessings for granted had provoked the much feared Nemesis, now cast upon him like an unescapable spell. And the star of the scene could do nothing but stare heavenward with the blank, lifeless orbs of someone stolen of their dreams. What a dreary ending for so alluring a story.

"I just wanted you to know that you still are the only person able to confront me"-the words had no problem; they were calmly spoken, yet with the underlying sharpness of a speaker that would rather not be admitting something like that. What made Sonic's ears perk up in surprise was the sound of human words, after days and days of silence. So, someone out there-even if the least expected of them all-had remembered him, after all.

"Not anymore", the cobalt hedgehog didn't turn his face toward the visitor, and his voice filled the atmosphere sounding like that of a stranger. "I can confront no one from in here, in case you can't see that"

The statement elicited a friendly chuckle from the ebony hybrid.

"So practically now I can mock at you for however much it pleases me, is this what you suggest, Faker?"

Sonic shrugged. "You are the hero now, so winner takes it all-do whatever you want, for all I friggin' care."

The resounding thump of clenched fists against metal automatically caused his body to instantly turn towards an indignant, and clearly very ticked off, Shadow. "Don't you_ ever_ dare call me that!"-, and, realising the illogical context of those phrases, he lowered his tone and added-"You may bear countless character flaws, but admittedly that title belongs to you..."

"Yeah, sure!" the subject rolled his eyes ironically, looking a bit like his former self, "That's why _everyone's_ insisting on my getting outta here, after all, naw?"

"...so drop that _absolutely slappable face of yours _and get back to the Sonic I used to know and _respect,_ Goddammit!"

No greater and more deafening a sound could ever be made, than the very lack thereof after those last words were spoken. Deep inside pieces of a reverse image, the two adversaries lingered for a second on each other's eyes. Respect? Sonic felt exactly like he had the very day he'd been arrested-that is, ignorant, naive, and inexcusably stupid; his number one rival, whom he used to think of as a lonewolf that did nothing other than sulking around over someone long bygone, had just pronounced the word "respect" in the same sentence with his name. The fact that the black fellow had also been the sole member of the gang to pay a visit wasn't quite helping the blue's position: all he could do in response was return to the window with a deep sigh. "All I had ever wanted was to run. Nothing more".

Despite his interlocutor's being unable to see, the Ultimate Life Form made a subtle nod in understanding. "Knuckles knew that someone wanted him out of the way", he simply said.

* * *

"I was_ there_ Mark, I saw the city underneath shrink to a dot of damn nothingness", Police Agent Serena Black fumbled nervously the hem of her skirt, eyes following her partner through his way up and down the small living room. "That hypertrophic precious stone people talked about-it was right there, on the altar just right in the middle."

Mark Andrews had grown up in what was not quite a believer's environment, and thus took a second to ruminate on the new data before shrugging in surrender. "Guess I have to believe you, Sers."-though, from the tenor of his voice the woman knew that the middle-aged cop implied exactly the opposite. Serena let her arms fall lifeless on her ribs, as if not knowing what to do with them anymore; it was not that there had ever been a serious communication problem between the two, but the obvious age gap-twelve years and two months, that is- and a certain underlying physical attraction from both parts created some leaks here and there. Plus, there was always that part of her-small, but still-that regarded the older colleague with the reserved interest of a child entering a dark cave; she felt she had to explore that man, who had obviously lived and seen many oddities, many ups and downs of life her age had not allowed her to. It certaintly required a certain amount of tact to handle a male that kept on comprising a mystery even after five years of professional interaction.

She unconsciounsly held her breath and watched Mark's fingers as they clenched on the mug; a ridiculous puppy stared at her inanely from the purple surface, blissfully smiling_ have a nice day! _Oh, you tell me.

"There was also something that caught my attention", she added, with a tad bit of further confidence, "a certain picture of a woman, positioned exactly opposite from where the victim was found- you know, it crossed my mind that it would have been as though he was looking at her".

After a brief search in the depths of her pockets, Serena handed her partner a photograph. The officer examined it with the mediocre interest of a guest obligated to look at his host's family pictures; its edges were slightly worn and the image a little blurry, but the woman could still be discerned clearly, smiling at the camera with the carefreeness of an amorous person. Her eyes were penetrating, and for a moment Andrews had the hair-triggering impression that the girl was staring directly at him; it really was a torture to look at her; she was obviously thinking of something, obviously _hiding_ something, and yet you couldn't tell what it was.

"Do we know who she is?", the older cop distractedly took a sip from his drink. It scorched his tongue, causing him to flinch.

"Not exactly", the female exhailed slowly. "We did find her name, but the rest remains a mystery-she is obviously trying to protect her data. Knuckles' apartment was hired in her name".

"Which was?"

"What?"

"The name, Sers-what was it?"

Serena crossed her legs, rolling her eyes in surrender. "I don't remember exactly-Rose, Rouge- something like that, girly and cheesy. I 've got it written here somewhere, wait..."

Mark Andrews gave a small glance at his watch and automatically stood up, as if due to some secret mechanism attached on the couch.

"You can e-mail the data to me later. There's a friend of the suspect that requested to see me at the Station Square diner in five minutes".

The middle-aged officer was out of the high rise before the woman could even utter a word. Closing the door with mechanical moves, Serena mumbled obscenities between clenched teeth. _I am thirty five, single, and five years in love with my partner that doesn't give a damn for what I find out or say. Feminists should honestly kill me. _

The scrap of paper where she had jotted down the girl's name was still in her hand. No...Mark should finally see she was able of achieving something on her own...Serena would find out everything around that young lady... and come in contact with her before her colleague even knew.

* * *

Curled up in in the cozy armchair like a broken puppet, a female figure was silently brooding over the last weeks' happenings. Her skin had gone pallid, and her eyes were dry-having cried for who knows how long in the same position, it was highly unlikely that any person would still be capable of producing tears. The man she had loved so madly was dead because of her, and nothing was going to bring him back.

Why had she listened to him? Why hadn't she asked their friends for help when he was still alive? Maybe if she had things would be different now-or maybe they'd all be dead.

But then again...she'd rather be dead than be without him. Than be alone with the sole company of her heart shattering remorses. Towards Knuckles. Towards Sonic.

Towards all of the people that loved her...and to whom she'd paid it back by being a huge, total, and incorrigible lie.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Sphinx Complex **

_**~The eyes are but a mirror that reflects the soul  
and hers an frightening opaque riddle  
frozen, staring through the paper  
they make you feel inane and idle.  
Like a modern Mona Lisa  
Blissfully my lady's smirking  
But we accepted eyes don't lie, and neither does the soul.  
Thus you can say dark thoughts she's thinking.  
Like a modern Mona Lisa  
Arms shall she cross, lips firmly together kneaded;  
The complex hide the eyes, as complex is her soul  
For there's no Sphinx without a secret. **_

_**

* * *

**_

_(extract from SSQ Daily)_

_[...] The legendary Master Emerald was stolen under mysterious conditions yesterday. According to the police, Knuckles the Echidna's close friend Miles Prower that had assumed the responsibility of guarding the priceless gem returned to his workshop after a short walk to realise it had gone missing.[...] Meanwhile, several voices have been raised against police officer Mark Andrews, as well as the local station in charge of the case, given that they had reassured the press of there not being an accomplice of Knuckles' murderer, Sonic The Hedgehog. [...]_

_

* * *

_

_"My Condolences for your...loss." _

Delicate fingers automatically clenched around the device till knuckles turned white, while her other hand had grabbed the cable so firmly, you'd think she wanted to pull it out of its plug. A moment of silence prevailed, and for a moment it seemed as though no one had ever been on the other side of the line; only the subtle sound of the man's calm breath implied the opposite, terrifying and real like an early morning nightmare. The woman opened her mouth repeatedly, even if to no avail; no voice would come out.

_"...You can't complain, though, can you?" _the voice had a devastating effect upon her; chilling, with a subversive, self-indulgent tenor, the interlocutor was perfectly conscious of his victory, and apparently, wanted more. _" I 'd promised I'd find a murderer, I found one. You can't blame me for not having warned your boyfriend of what was coming". _

Shoulders convulsed lightly, a small yelp was held back. She licked her lips that had suddenly gone dry, and the taste of blood immediately sent her brain the signal she'd been biting them all along; as for those fragile fingers, they were now hanging on to the phone as if for dear life.

_"...Now it only remains to find the emerald...and I bet you can tell me a great deal about it"_

"I loved him"-she was caught off guard by her own voice. Pathetic, weak, vulnerable, almost inaudible; not simply the voice of a woman that had lost her lover, but also that of a child void of protection. As for the child itself, it could only stare blankly out of the window, repeating the same succession of words like a stalled robot. "I loved him."

_''You know, I am an extremely patient person" _-the voice went on unmoved- _"I really am- and it's not like I am out of things to keep myself occupied for now''_

"I...loved him..."- the spell was now stuck between the lips. The conversation, the real world, the view of the square out of the window-everything had melted to a massive blur in her brain. Like the culprit of an atrocious crime, the woman could only lower her head, and repeat passively the last phrase left to defend herself. "I loved him."

_"Knuckles did love you, too. -That's why he currently is a couple of meters underground, Miss."_

"_I LOVED HIM,_ you bastard, and I won't listen to his voice again but for your _fuckin' overweening ego, _can't you just leave me alone?"

He laughed. _"Oh, my, are we chummy today! No, lady, I fear that I'll only comply with your wish only when I get what I want"_

Eyes darkened, and you'd think the abyss was reflected in their wet depths. "But you-you stole the Master Emerald yesterday night-you think I don't know that?"

Silence prevailed. Cars crossed the road outside the high-rise. Passersby argued, laughed, chatted. The clock carried on mourning over dead moments. Tick. Tick. Tick.

_"Liar..." _

Tick. Tick. Tick.

She breathed, and looked down, only to realise she had wrapped both arms around her stomach. Her sight blurry; lungs empty. The air was suddenly not enough.

_"...Tails was guarding just a huge piece of colored glass... And I bet you do have a lot to tell me about it... _my dear."

* * *

"Oh, God".

Every single damn week in his life kept going just better and better. In three days he 'd only managed to put aside a mangy five hours of sleep, and had devoted all of his spare time to the investigation of a case that was officially closed-and that, apparently, could send him directly to Hell if the fact were ever found out by his superiors.

Mark Andrews sighed and let his torso fall heavy on the back of the black armchair, hiding his face in both palms. He then raised his eyes and glanced at the desk. An endless troop of paper scraps and files looked at him back. The middle-aged officer mumbled obscenities to himself, and reluctantly moved an arm to grab the page that was closest to him. He brought it in front of his eyes, flinched a little bit, and finally held it a few inches away, growling _fucking gettin' old. _

Rough scribble was all over the paper. The cop had jotted down every clue they had available, in a desperate attempt to drag safe conclusions.

_The victim had bought an apartment, when all of his friends knew nothing about it. -It is logical to assume, therefore, that Knuckles was perfectly conscious of being in peril. Maybe he knew something. Or maybe he was hiding something. _

_Sonic seems to know nothing about his best friends' condition. This far, he seems of minor importance to the whole plot. Or maybe not? He had no obvious excuse for killing a person he previously loved, and whoever the real culprit is sure as hell knows it. It seems, thus, as though Sonic is something beyond a simple scapegoat. No, he was far more-a key-person to get out of the way. _

_The Master Emerald was stolen yesterday. My, is this getting convoluted. You'd say they killed Knuckles in order to steal the gem, but why do it so late? Maybe so as not to make people correlate the two happenings. Or maybe someone else took advantage of the guy's death and decided to get rich, and so they indeed aren't correlated. Or maybe our clever criminal has thought of this, too..._

_That crazy GUN guy at the diner yesterday...Jesus. He was an acquaiantance of Sonic's, he said. He seems to be very interested in the whole wingding, and he 's sure of his friend's being innocent. He said the GUN had been informed on the case, that probably a superior is mixed up with the whole situation, that he can be of help. Maybe I should contact him some time in the future. _

_Now, our Sphinx...that smiling girl in the picture. Maybe the blurriest mystery of 'em all; I bet she could tell us a lot about the victim-judging from the close relationship and the trust they seemed to share, he could even be her lover. And this immediately causes me to conclude that, whatever Knuckles' secret was, she knew about it. Yeah, I really should contact Sers and ask her to give me her notes regarding the young miss. _

_

* * *

_

Driiin! Driiin!

"Jesus."

She moved her legs out of the blankets, and unwillingly looked for her shoes. The girl was once again in a very bad condition, and the headache throbbing beneath the skull was sure as hell not helping much. As for the sudden visitor, whoever he or she was, our Sphinx was ready to send them back to where they had come from.

Driiin! Driiin! The person behind the front door had obviously the slightest of intentions to let go of the doorbell.

The goddamn doorbell.

She reached the door competing with the time record of a lame snail, and then pulled the door with mechanical moves. The chain attached to the wall allowed her to discern only a part of the stranger behind the small opening. It was a woman, age probably between thirty and fourty, whose plain face traits gave off a certain kind of underlying indescretion -a characteristic prevalent only among journalists and cops; and apparently, judging from the badge currently stuck right under her nose, that woman _wasn't a journalist_.

"Police officer Serena Black, are you Miss-" -she was cut off by an indignant statement-calmly spoken, but fairly indignant nontheless.

"I know nothing." The cop would later swear that a strange sound of nails against wood accompanied those three words. Serena sighed. _Maybe it would indeed have been better if I had told Mark to come with me, _she thought. The guy knew how to treat cases like that one, which was far from the truth when it came to her; she was a real disaster at being patient-or sympathetic for that matter. An individual with a whole bunch of personal problems highly unlikely to ever be resolved, after all, wouldn't exactly consider resolving _other people's _problems as their cup of tea.

The officer held back a wince, and then hid both hands inside the pockets of her jacket; the weather conditions were gradually introducing a rather chilly afternoon.

"I shall take that as a yes", she smiled in a warm way that clashed terribly the whole atmosphere, "There are a few questions that I would like to ask you. May I come in for a minute?"

Serena's grey eyes followed the head as it dissappeared behind the wooden surface, and soon after the door subsided with a displeased thump. The young lady that was reluctantly standing in front of her seemed sick and the surroundings within the apartment irreversibly ruined and messy. _So, they both chose to stay at the most infamous and obscure part of the city...and I am almost sure they didn't take such a decision for motives of economical ability. It seems as though the two had had to disappear, for a reason. _

The other female smiled colorlessly, stepping aside for the older woman to pass. "I will be counting. You have fifty five seconds."

Serena caught herself smiling conceitedly. It was a dead wrong time for anyone to mess with her nerves, and hers was a job that required a whole lot of patience, given that a police officer was supposed to deal with every kind of people on a daily basis. Consequently, their whims, their fears, even their paranoia, just _had_ to be her business.

"You have no idea what I can find out in fifty five seconds, Miss."

"You have no idea what is going to happen to you after talking to me.", she gave a frigid look at the cop, making her freeze in her tracks, and then took a nonchalant glance at her watch. "And actually, it's fourty seconds now."

Mark Andrews' assistant slowly walked in, looking around with a reserved interest; boxes and trinkets of every origin possible were scattered all over the floor, one of the curtains had been pulled down, numerous plates showed off their sad remnants from the small table. A weird smell was being emanated from where the kitchen supposedly was.

"What exactly was your relationship with Knuckles The Echidna?", she tried not to ponder much on her interlocutor's rather ominous words.

"A complicated one.", Serena couldn't tell whether the speaker was necessarily talking to someone- it seemed as though she was addressing the narrative to herself. Trying not to give in to her mood, the officer nodded in understanding and encouraged the devastated figure before her to carry on.

"...We did bicker..." -the voice was hardly louder than the rustling of the leaves outside. "But it did turn out that he was the only person that...saw beyond the fancy wrapper, beyond the smile, beyond..."

Pause. Breath. A subtle trembling of the eyelids, a small bite on the lower lip. Yet another breath.

"Beyond what the majority of people thought I was." she shrugged, attempting to regain composure. "It sounds awfully selfish, I know. And the funny thing is that he died, and thus I didn't manage to tell him that now I would chose him over...well, the other one he used to be so jealous of. Knuckles had quite a quick temper, you know."

A moment or two passed before the cop managed to realise it was her turn to speak. The question that followed felt rabid and sounded coarse. _At least the man I love is still alive. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost Mark. _

"And what happened?"

"Two main things, I guess. The Emerald, for one, is an exceptionally valuable object, an' it can be used in numerous ways."

"Ways?"

"Chaos Energy.", it was a simple statement, as though two obscure words like these could give a sufficient explanation. "A primeval force, able to protect, or even destroy the whole world. No one knows for sure its exact power, but the Guardian of the altar..."

"And the other reason?"

The Sphinx remained silent, face painfully inscrutable. For a second she seemed to be thinking of something worryingly dark; then her traits immediately melted back to their expressionless glory, as though their owner had practised it for hours in front of the mirror.

"Knuckles knew something he wasn't supposed to", the woman leaned in and looked directly in Serena's eyes, finding friendliness somewhere in their depths. At least she could try to help save an innocent man from being sent to prison. The last thing she could do to seek an absolution anymore.

"Do you know what it was?"

"Yes. "

Pause.

"Something about his friend, Sonic."

* * *

Apart from the colorful screens beeping from the upper side of the wall, the room was dark and silent. The ebony veil of night was slowly covering the sky outside, and you'd think the whole world was now frozen.

In the viscous silence of the world, a sole figure moved; activity taking place in one of the screens seemed to be attracting his interest. Eyeballs ran quickly over the details, a second passed. And then the shadow leaned in and spoke, with a rigid, almost brazen voice that hurt the cosmic peace like a gunshot.

"Send one of your men to take care of Miss Black. My precious trophy has opened her mouth...again."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Death Race **

_**'Tis thy suffering, thy pain  
the bliss that's giving me rebirth  
Your defiance all in vain  
and all your tears reviving rain  
that with graceful desperation  
at the world's hallucination  
shall leave so moribund a stain. **_

_**'Tis thy suffering, thy pain  
the reason i find no rebirth  
Cause your suffering's mine,  
and so is your pain.**_

_**The only absolution I can gain  
is a vivid bloody stain  
and the melancholic rain  
that with graceful desperation  
as though in hallucination  
shall accompany your death.**_

* * *

A prolonged silence prevailed after the end of the narration.

Tears were slowly flooding the Sphinx' eyes, breath unrythmical, hands shaky. It took great deal of minutes for police agent Serena Black to realise that the younger female had stopped talking; appalled, with the blank expression of a terrified person, she confined herself to staring motionless at her mysterious interlocutor.

"...He is the world's greatest hero...", she mumbled distractedly. "And he is...he was...I mean, the reason of his existence...Oh, Jesus. Sweet Jesus."

The Sphinx simply nodded in agreement, an unspeakably ominous expression imprinted on her face traits. For some strange reason, she found herself feeling compassion towards the police agent, something she had sworn she would no more allow herself to do. And yet here she was, indentifying with Serena, not only because she could recognise the etiquette of an amorous woman, but mainly because that specific amorous woman was bound to be deprived of every small beauty of life; and all of it was her fault.

Before she could even control herself, she had hugged the older female with all of the strenth that was still burning in the desert of her heart.

"Take care of yourself", she breathed.

Serena nodded affirmatively, the tranquilizing way a doctor reassures a mad person. And, like that, she left the apartment, found her way through the city, processing the shocking new information, ignorantly walking towards her death.

* * *

Exiting his office, Mark Andrews made a discovery.

It was just after the middle-aged cop had closed the door behind him, when it fell on the floor, right before his feet, after a small dance with the humid winter air. Nothing seemed substantially different about it; it was small, white and rectangular.

The message, though, was clear. It made his blood freeze.

_Stop searching or your heart stops beating. _

Andrews took a deep breath, letting the air fill his diaphragm and lungs and then letting it out slowly. Okay, there was no reason to panic. As a rational and responsible adult, he had chosen his path. He was conscious of the risk he was taking. That specific outcome had been a perspective since the beginning, after all.

_At least, _the man thought to himself,_ Now we know for sure there's something amiss about this case. Something indeed special is hidden behind it, and the cobalt hedgie has to do with at least half of it-_

"Officer."

The voice, calm, smooth, yet with an underlying sharpness in it, made Andrews gasp in surprise. Fearing the worst, he slowly turned his petrified face, only to meet with the familiar ebony figure of that erratic fellow he'd had a talk with the other day. A chuckle of relief escaped his lips.

"Excuse me, I was a little distracted." he half-heartedly murmured the line. For some reason the guy would get him nervous, but the male would bet it was because of the exceptionally peculiar eye color: Ruby red, with an unexplainable gleam somewhere in it that gave the weird impression the guy could effortlessly delve into your darkest thoughts.

Shadow laughed, in a light-hearted way that didn't sound like him.

"Well, I would be too, if my life were openly in peril."

The piece of paper slipped from the officer's fingers and tumbled carefreely to the floor. For an insane second, every possibility marched in front of his eyes. Then he managed to stammer faintly a mere six words.

"How long have you been here?"

The Ultimate Life Form shrugged.

"A while, I guess."

"And what did you see?"

"I am afraid I saw just the paper attached on your door", Shadow rolled his eyes, still trying to figure out the man standing before him. There was a strange quality about the old guy he found pretty likeable; other than that Mark Andrews was a fairly simple person. His eyes would always betray his thoughts, in that they constantly changed expression so as to be in compliance with them. The hybrid shrugged.

"But in any case I think we could help each other very much.", he said confidently. The older male raised an eyebrow; smug guys weren't exactly his favorite type of acquaiantance, but for some reason the officer had decided to like that specific one.

"In what sense?"

Shadow smiled.

"Well, for starters, you don't _die, _at least not when I 'm around and thus capable of protecting you."

Andrews remembered the reason why he avoided chit-chatting with complacent people. Feeling his nerves a little more tense than he would usually allow them to be, he confined himself to grunting: "I can take care of myself."

His words were immediately followed by some kind of blade flying happily towards him. Mark's reflexes had worked of their own accord before he could even realise it, and the metallic object was soon on the floor with a small, melancholic clank.

The cop was now looking at his right hand, eyes gawking in awe. It had pulled the gun out of his pocket on time, not to mention it had had the guts to shoot at the thing before it could chop his neck. Slowly, his brain regained connection with the outer world, therefore realising the ebony hedgehog was intriguedly staring at him.

"I believe you.", Shadow commented simply, regaining composure the second after. _There were humans that could prove themselves worth knowing and trusting, after all. _"But still, I can tell you everything I know about Sonic and his life."

"And in exchange?"

"In exchange, you tell me about all the things you've found."

It was Andrews' turn to laugh.

"How can you be sure that I indeed have found something useful?"

He was expecting that the hybrid would burst into laughter, or that he would make some sarcastic comment. Instead, Shadow only gave him a serious look.

"Because you dodged the blade."

Mark Andrews pondered on the situation for a while. All this could prove itself vital for both of them; after all, Sonic himself had the smallest of intentions to cooperate with him, and there was something about Shadow that caught his attention. Hopefully, the cop would find the time to figure out what it was.

"Let's go someplace else", was his answer.

* * *

The poky, dimly lit corridor outside Mark Andrews' office stayed silent for a mangy six minutes and fourty five seconds.

That's how long it took for a badly hurt, terribly bleeding Serena to literally crawl up the small staircase, combined with the time it took for Mark and Shadow to leave without noticing her dying figure.

There had been a trap set for her some blocks ahead of the girl's apartment. Serena had somehow managed to escape, but still, they had already managed to shoot at her.

Her life didn't pass before her eyes; no cry of desperation escaped her lips; she simply propped her back against Mark's door, so as to feel less pain, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional one the woman had to deal with.

Pallid, wan, hands trembling, Serena did the last thing possible to protect him. She slipped a small scrap of paper under the door. The solution to the maze was there, all it took now for her partner to figure it out was a close look.

Tears were slowly tumbling down her cheeks, but somehow her lips managed to sustain a peaceful smile, so as not to show Mark she was sad, so as to cause him the smallest worry possible. It only took another fourty five seconds for the corridor to turn silent again.

* * *

In the local police department, there was a corridor. In that corridor, there were three successive offices. If you got close to the second office, you'd see the corpse of a young woman blocking the door, smiling eerily in the pool of her own blood. If you opened the door, you'd find a piece of paper. If you raised the piece of paper, you would read:

_Sonic/Shadow _

_-Same height, weight, stature  
-Incredible speed, similar abilities, capability of using Chaos Energy  
-Connection to two different scientists from the Robotnik family  
-Strangely strong attatchment to two different human females  
-The secret is in the blue color_

_PS. I have always loved you._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Ice Cubes**

_**Identify with me, feel my deepest pain  
When you look into my eyes, what do you see?  
Not admiration, but disdain  
shall be addressed to someone like me.**_

**_Reversed the image through the mirror_**  
**_my nemesis, my friend, my pain_**  
**_Thy admiration, thy disdain_**  
**_A murky truth that set me free_**  
**_when I would realize with horror_**  
**_I 'm a hero made by the villain._**

* * *

The drink was long gone from the glass, and its owner was keeping himself occupied shaking distractedly the remaining ice cubes within.

"There is one thing I still cannot understand.", he sighed, looking at the dark figure standing next to him, casually propping his back against the bar. "You say you were created over fifty years ago."

Shadow nodded, noticing the tension of disbelief that had underlined the word "created."

"What about it?"

Andrews looked at the ice cubes. They were slowly swimming in their death pool. Melting the seconds away, able to do nothing about it. There was something ominous about the phenomenically illogical thought, that made him flinch.

"Well, Sonic is an organic being, naturally born in a family and all. How would _you _explain your similarity?"

Shadow instantly choked on the mysteriously greenish content of his own glass. Then, eyes half closed, he tried to process word by word the line calmly spoken by his interlocutor. There was something practically impossible about the implication that nevertheless sounded worryingly logical.

"I don't know if this question has anything to do with our case.", he mumbled beneath clenched teeth.

The ice cubes had now transformed completely into water. The officer smiled indifferently.

"You know, my experience has taught me that, sometimes, the most petty and irrelevant questions can be the key to something more."

The Ultimate Life Form shrugged in surrender. He needed time to think this over alone. To wonder why he had never realized that thing before. To occupy himself with another phenomenically insoluble maze.

"I have no idea.", he said distractedly, trying to figure out what kind of information would prove itself useful to him at that point. Then suddently, among the chaotical sea of drunk clients, the corner of his eye caught a familiar figure. The girl seemed concertrated on the dark substance she was quietly drinking, as though she wanted to render herself invisible. Then, sensing Shadow's eyes stuck on her, she raised hers to meet him.

The hybrid's lips formed a smile of recognition, his right hand raised in a polite wave. As for the female, once she had recognised him back, she mumbled something unintelligible and left in a hurry.

"Did you see some kind of friend?" Andrews had been busy drinking whatever had remained from the dead ice cubes, and thus hadn't manage to see the  
Sphinx discreetly grabbing her purse and exiting the bar. Shadow crossed his arms before his chest and waved his head nonchalantly.

"Kind of.", as if having changed his mind, the black hedgehog changed position and brought the greenish liquor to his mouth once more. "So, I wanted to ask. You said something about a woman."

There was the subtle clicking sound of a lighter, and the middle-aged officer was soon concealed behind a small cloud of smoke.

"Yes, the miss in the photo I damn forgot to bring with me." Andrews grunted. Much to his entertainment, Shadow noticed that the cop's face had once more transformed itself into a painting of thoughts, eyebrows raised, lips pursed together. "Well, what about her?"

"Tell me what you know about her."

"Well, to begin with", the officer was lisping because of the cigarette hanging unnaturally from his mouth, "She must've been Knuckles' lover or something like that. Because we found his body positioned exactly opposite from her, as if looking in her eyes. Plus, they had rented together an apartment in the worst part of Station Square."

Shadow nodded. "Lover.", he repeated slowly to himself. "There's only a woman I can think of that could be it."

"I haven't yet contacted my partner in order to access all the information, but last time we met Sers told me something about the name. She said-" Andrews half-closed his eyes, trying to recall the exact words. "She said it was something cheesy. Rose or Rouge or-"

"Yes, Rouge, that's her. A friend of mine. Had had a crush on Knuckles for years."

"Charming young lady, feminine curves, green eyes and her fur is-"

"Yes", mumbled the Ultimate Life form distractedly. There was something about the thought of his comrade having an affair with another male that seemed unbelievably annoying. "Well, apart from the eyes. Her eyes are aqua blue."

"Hm?"

"I said, Rouge's eyes are aqua blue."

"Could be it. The photograph wasn't so clear, after all.", Andrews shrugged and leaned over the bench. "So, what are you gonna do now?"

"Me?" Shadow laughed, but only to give his voice a more sarcastic tone. "I think of finding a way to help Sonic escape. Now the question is...", the hedgehog leaned over the older male, eyeing him in an indecipherable way. "...Will _you_ help _me_, officer?"

* * *

_"Can't keep our mouth shut, can we?"_

Like a broken puppet, the female was lying on the floor, amongst a pile of garbage, glass shards, and vomit. Holding the phone close to her ear with both of her trembling hands, she managed to stammer tiredly.

"There was just this tiny chance that I could save him. And you-you killed her!",the Sphinx would swear something was going dead wrong with her eyes; they were perennially crying, swollen, irises a terrifying shade of red. She had to stop talking every now and then, in order to swallow some new troop of unwanted tears.

_"If you don't want me to kill people, then don't do stupid things. Take today, for example. You talk to Serena Black, and then you risk to be seen and recognised by Officer Andrews. That's no way to behave for a good girl." _

The fact that he always knew where she had been and what she had done didn't take her by surprise; the young woman simply hugged her knees, remaining in a fetal position, unprotected, defeated.

"I needed something to drink...", she whispered, still able to taste the salty liquid between her lips. "...After that cop left, and I knew she would die..."

_"Wasn't very clever from you, was it? We don't want anybody to know who Knuckles' girl is."_

Even under those circumstances, the Sphinx managed to make a weak chuckle.

"Why am I bothering to talk to you? You killed him. There is no way you can hurt me anymore."

There was a small pause from the other side of the line, and the girl caught herself fearing it would last forever. Then, the least expected and horrid sound stirred the cosmic silence; his deep, nightmarish, thunderous laughter.

_"You? Naw, I don't want to hurt you. You 've got the Master Emerald. But I can hurt other people, and a selfless being like you would never allow this to happen. Besides, you are the Queen of my chessboard. Today I detected the last Chaos Emerald, so I think it's high time I came for you-"_

The Sphinx never heard how the line ended. Before collapsing on the floor in a new massive attack of tears, she had hung up.

* * *

In the centre of the city, there's a small bar. On the right side of the bar, there are two glasses; the first is empty; the second still contains the remains of a mysterious greenish liquor. Now, if you exit the bar and walk four blocks downwards, and then turn left, you'll see the local police department.

In the local police department, there still is a corridor. In the corridor there still are three successive offices. If you approach the second one, you'll see the same dead woman smiling at you stoically.

Around the woman, there's a yellow tape. Around the woman, there's a whole lot of people that have gathered like ravens in order to summon today's dose of gore. Around the woman, there are the arms of a middle-aged man, holding her close to him with all of his strength.

Inside the man there's an enormous gap. Inside the man there's rage, hate, sadness, desperation. Inside the man is a huge amount of love he can't give the woman anymore. Inside the man is a huge amount of love she didn't even know it was there, in the first place.

Humanity, sound, commotion. And then everything goes blank, and, as though in some kind of surreal painting, the only thing existing in the Universe is this erratic duet, man and woman, living and dead, lover and loved.

And the only sound in that newborn universe is Mark Andrews' coarse whisper.

"I will help you."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Green Eyes **

_**~Lover and Loved, Living and Dead  
confessions I never made and things I never said  
And if life's a chessboard, then there was no choice  
Thy eyes never will I see, nor will I hear your voice.**_

**_Here we both stand, amongst the Cosmic noise  
_**_**green eyes, golden heart, so heavenly a voice  
Lover and Loved, Living and Dead  
I'm watching you leave through my flowery bed.**_

* * *

A fire had broke out at the local Police Department.

With his limited view of the outer world, Sonic kept observing the total chaos taking place within the almost decrepit building: people screaming, heavy footsteps striding their way through the corridors, doors unlocking, some terrified cries here and there.

There was a continuously augmenting heat. An eerie light was being emanated from the corner on his left, as though the end of the world had come.

A single thought crossed the speedster's tired mind: _If they are going to get the prisoners out of the building for safety- which they have to do- then it's gonna be one easy escape for me. _

But how had it happened, in the first place? It almost definitely was a case of arson, but then again, there were cops almost everywhere guarding the place, and the fire seemed to have started from the offices of the second floor. How possible was it for a potential pyromaniac to enter the Department and find his way up the stairs without being noticed?

Unless, of course, the lawbreaker was-

"Good morning, Mr. Hedgehog." -even under these circumstances, the voice obviously had every intention of maintaining a subtle touch of humor. Finding out who it belonged to wasn't a difficult task; officer Andrews would always pronounce every word with a strict, yet playful, staccato.

Sonic turned around so that he could look at the older male directly in the eyes. A childish pout formed on his face that seemed to enclose a little bit of his former self.

"I don't see how this can evolve to a good morning, Sir", he had added the word "Sir" for the same reason the cop had called him a "mister". There was something overtly entertaining about the way Mark Andrews stared at him back, even if there was a small glimmer of sadness -tiny, but still- casting its shadow over his face traits.

The cop shrugged.

"As the one who initially took over your case, I consider myself responsible of your safety."

The cobalt hedgehog chuckled. "My safety?", he repeated slowly. There was something utterly illogical about the phrase, that just couldn't sink in; once upon a time, when _he was around, _people confided _their_ safety to his powers.

"Yessir, your safety. So, unless you want to fry yourself in here, I'm gonna help you out. And mind you, I am old and weak-"

"...and an arsonist, ain't that right, Mr. Andrews?"

The older male smiled in a rather mysterious manner.

"Well, you name it. It was the only solution, my accomplice has lost track of all seven _Chaos Emeralds_, and thus he couldn't _Chaos Control_ you out of this place.", disbelief saturated the whole line; apparently, the middle-aged curmudgeon couldn't quite put his finger on the existence of such thing as a Chaos Emerald, or a Chaos Control.

Sonic, nevertheless, decided not to mind. Not at that specific moment. Following Andrews out of the cell, through the corridor and up a staircase, it crossed his mind that the best thing to do was to collect some useful information.

"So, for one, Shadow helps me escape.", he mumbled. "Then, you said something about the Emeralds. Who has them?"

In that Inferno of noises, cries, screams and steps, the officer's voice was barely audible.

"We have no idea. Shadow said a close friend of yours is trying to locate them right now."

Sonic caught himself smiling. His buddy, Tails had done it again. Deep inside, not much had changed. And now, it was time to_ rock and roll._

* * *

Behind a hypertrophic computer screen, Sonic's buddy was working his magic.

Tails' face had contracted to a mask of worry. There was something very dark about the way things had evolved; someone, taking advantage of the chaos Sonic's arrest had caused the team, had managed to detect and collect all the Chaos Emeralds.

His machines had indicated South West. But what was South West?

It couldn't be another base of Egghead's. There would be no way to hide it. Beyond the outskirts of the city there were GUN hoverplanes inspecting the area, so it was practically impossible for a huge flying base not to be 'seen' by their radars-

A devastatingly unpleasant thought crossed the kitsune's mind. As though his hands were on fire, Tails typed something and a map of the region appeared on the enormous screen.

Azure eyes went wide.

"No, it can't be!", he shouted the phrase, even though there was no one else in the workshop to listen. "But it's there! Right there!"

All screens went black. Miles Prower was frantically fumbling in his pockets, in search of a phone or something. He had to contact Shadow. It was an absolute necessity that he called Shadow.

"It's right there!", he was insanely repeating to himself. "A GUN station..."

* * *

When the duet reached the exit, they looked at each other awkwardly.

Sonic was eyeing the older male with gratitude. He couldn't understand why Andrews was doing this, or maybe he was just too young to comprehend. Either way, he had just earned his sympathy and respect.

The officer, on the other hand, as a father of two males, one of which was only a year older than Sonic himself, was looking at the blue hedgehog with an almost parental interest. "Take care", he whispered when they shook hands.

Sonic, startled, looked at his palm. Mark Andrews had handed him a piece of paper.

"My partner left it at my office before she died." the officer's voice was growing weaker. "I thought it could prove itself useful to you. I don't think I'll be alive to solve the mystery myself."

Before Sonic was able to protest, the old guy had left and Shadow was near him, gloved hand resting on his shoulder. "I think you have to take advantage of the general commotion before someone notices you are uncuffed.", he simply said.

"Gee, I hate owing you...", growled the blue mammal. After so many days locked in a cell, he had missed his irrational fights with that Ultimate Moron. "...But anyway, couldn't you just Chaos Blast this place and gemme out?"

"How intelligent", Shadow rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Yes, you are right,_ no one_ would understand who did it, no one would be sent flying in orbit around Mobius, and I wouldn't find serious trouble in every sense and parameter of the term, you _buffoon. _Now go. I'll take care of whoever notices."

Sonic smiled and, with a rather comical gesture of obedience towards his rival, disappeared in a flash of blue.

* * *

The first place to use as shelter that came to his mind was his best friend's workshop. Apparently, the choice was right, because Shadow joined them shortly after. There, with the company of each other, three mugs of coffee so as to render their minds as clear as possible, and a chilli dog for a starving Sonic, they got down to planning their next move.

The cobalt hedgehog was distracted watching his newly acquired colleague. It was strange to have the ebony one in the team, since he would always choose path according to his own needs, rather than being motivated by feelings of selflessness or moralism. And yet, the hybrid had been the first to believe in Sonic's innocence.

"So", Shadow's words vaporized every thought going on in his mind. "I was right when I said some GUN member is involved. Now, the question is: if someone -be it Eggman, or a random psychopath or both- is trying to take over the world using Chaos Energy, why haven't they made the move by now? I mean, the Master Emerald was stolen half a week ago."

"Except", noted Tails, making distracted patterns on the napkin before him, "Except for the case it wasn't."

The other two raised their heads in perfect synch, giving the young fox and inquisitive look.

"But the Chaotix Agency had been busy and_ you _took responsibility of the gem. It was from _your_ place that it disappeared.", Sonic objected.

"Yes, but Knuckles wasn't stupid. And since it's obvious -from what Andrews told Shadow- that he was conscious of what was to come, then one can easily assume he had secured the Master Emerald somewhere. Rethinking of it, I am not sure what I was guarding wasn't just a means to misguide potential predators."

Deep in thought, the speedster buried his teeth in the chilli dog. Shadow flinched in his chair, annoyed by some kind of unwanted feeling.

"Should this be true, there is only one person he could have trusted enough to give them the Emerald."

The three exchanged an alarmed look.

"I think we'd better hurry."

* * *

_Ring, ring. _

Before Rouge the Bat could even open the door properly, a weird trio had virtually barged into the apartment. The ivory female instinctively took a step backwards. A robe was hanging unwillingly from her shoulders, and a glass of red wine resided in her right hand.

"Hey guys, chill, shall we?", she said with a little laugh. Then, the woman noticed the anxious looks on their faces. "Okay, we shall not. Care to tell me, then, what kind of serious problem is it that made you ruin my relaxation hour?"

She showed them the way to the living room, made them sit on the sofa, offered some drink which they kindly refused.

As the person closest to her, Shadow was the first to speak.

"I am afraid you might be in serious danger."

Much to the male's surprise, the bat started laughing. _Danger. Oh, no, serious danger. _Men were so desperately trying to reassure themselves of being more powerful; So willing to detect today's damsel in distress and play heroes. But the most enervating part of it all, was that Rouge's partner, after whole years of working together, still thought she was too weak to take care of herself without male assistance.

"Tell me, overprotective parent, what makes you think that?", the sarcasm was blatant. Under natural circumstances, it would have made him see red.

Instead, the Ultimate Life Form simply crossed his arms before his chest.

"Knuckles had a girlfriend, and thing is, she definitely is in peril." the ebony hedgehog didn't like thinking of his colleague as someone's girlfriend. But still, if her life were at stake, he had to act now.

Rouge's eyes, in the meantime, had gone wide.

"And you guys thought it was me?", another laugh escaped her lips. "That was just a crush I used to have! Sure, I was devastated to learn about his death. But I can reassure you, our relationship was nothing more than a friendly one."

"But gee, how can that be?", the one to interrupt was none other than Sonic. "Andrews told Shadow here that the Photo Girl had curves, and aqua eyes, she had-"

"No.", the hybrid's coarse voice stopped him. Shadow raised his eyes and looked at the others. "He said her eyes were green, but I had thought he was wrong. We had both supposed the picture wasn't clear enough, and...oh, sweet Jesus."

"Sweet Jesus what?"

Images were sprinting through his mind. He remembered the girl at the bar, the way she had left in a total hurry without even saying hello. How unusual it was of her to be so rude. How unusual not to smile.

He looked at Sonic. Ready to break his heart. Blurt out the unintelligible.

"It's Amy."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for your positive feedback till now! I still feel the need to apologise for some elements to this chapter, like:**

**-Shadow here couldn't Chaos Control without an emerald. I used it sic, because it served the whole purpose of the scenario better.  
-I actually made up a "branch" of the GUN being there, for the same reasons mentioned above. But after all, it's unofficial fiction XD  
-I have an unexplainable tendency of pairing Knuckles and Amy together, but i wanted to make a surprise without inserting an OC. **

**Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chap!**

**Yours,**

**Anna Marcelli Palmer**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Reflection **

**~_There 's this strange quality about twins  
where similarity can reach perfection  
Because it's never clear who wins  
and who is merely the reflection. _**

**_There's something eerie about the mirror  
the way dimentions twirl and dance  
and then the eye discerns with horror  
it's sealed behind the looking glass. _**

* * *

The day had gradually evolved to a silent evening, grisly tones of blue describing a nocturnal version of the city. Passersby were long extinct in that specific part of Station Square, where the humid ocean breeze got mixed with the secular fragrance of modern tecnology, giving an almost unpleasant feeling to every potential visitor; for yet another time, the small port was deserted.

She didn't seem to pay attention to any of this, though. The pollution, the sea- none of it made even the subtlest sense within her mind, that had stopped functioning properly weeks ago, frozen forever upon an ominous headline. Eyes stubbornly damp; face converted to a rancid mask of destructive emotion; heart empty.

Standing terrified on the edge of a cliff, looking down at the waves splashing and froathing and battling and whistling, the Sphinx was about to do the last thing possible to protect everything that still mattered to her.

The female's breathing had unexpectedly become uncontrollable, heartbeat chaotical, shoulders shaky. What an irony! She, who had lost nearly everything with one motion of the head, with one movement of the hand, with one ticking of the clock. Afraid of dying.

Was it the instinctive willpower to stay alive? Was it just another lame joke of fate? Or was it simply a function of the human mind, that, even after the loss of her lover, the living hell one of her best friends had been forced to undergo, and the death of so many innocent people, she still wished to see the Sun rise up and fall down?

Either way, it was wrong. She had to go...for the sake of whatever could still be saved.

To feel the firm grip of his arms around her waist for just one more time.

Hesitantly, the troubled woman took a step forward. The waves were in turmoil now, colliding into the jagged rocks, molding them into something new. It was a nice place to die; in the total peace of the water, becoming a part of its dark world where no human voice, or hand, or pain would reach her anymore. Another wreck hidden forever within those murky depths.

A broken excuse of her true self, Amy Rose was ready to commit suicide.

"Not so fast, young lady. I think we gotta take care of some things first."

Head automatically jerked back, eyes rolled to meet a familiar figure...

Amy blinked once, a tear tumbled down her cheek. A thousand thoughts seemed to be sprinting through her mind at that specific instant, none of which could be deciphered by her newly obtained interlocutor.

Finally, her lips parted.

"Screw you.", she said calmly, and let herself fall.

* * *

In outskirts of the city, parked just outside the local GUN station, was a familiar hoverplane.

There was something thoroughly amiss about the silence that prevailed within the large metallic corridors; it wasn't simply the type that implied the absence of living beings; it was one that sounded more even more ominous than a shriek of sheer dread.

There should have been guards, agents, and a whole lot of people like that wandering through_ those_ corridors.

The three made it to infiltrate the gigantic edifice with practically no problems. Now, investigating the place in search of the Chaos Emeralds, it was slowly dawning on them that the fact was clearly _not_ a matter of ability. The place seemed dead. Or, even more dreadfully, maybe it indeed was dead.

Maybe even killed, for that matter.

"To think that we agents are supposed to know whatever happens within those walls.", Shadow chuckled, eyes roaming the surroundings with mixed feelings of interest and concern. Whatever had been going on in there, the result didn't just seem to be amiss: it was downright _ominous._

"You don't think they are _dead, _do you?", Tails' voice faltered with a somewhat childish terror as they slowly walked their way towards the source of that powerful signal his computers had received. Sonic, who wasn't really keen on contemplating on messed situations, gave his sidekick a shrug.

"Wouldn't we have seen the bodies till now?", the tone that line had been exclaimed at had a trace of uncertainty. "It's like everybody's vanished from here!"

The ebony hybrid huffed in response to the short verbal exchange. He was having the weird feeling that the answer of it all was swimming within his skull, but for some strange reason it wouldn't come to the surface. Shadow could think to the point of getting himself a migraine, and there would still be a key-element to the whole story that just refused to make itself visible.

"That scrap of paper Mark Andrews handed you."

The azure hedgehog stopped for a moment to look at his counterpart. "Hmm?"

"Serena Black was supposed to investigate the killing of Knuckles, and instead of giving her partner information on the culprit, minutes before she dies she takes a scrap of paper and focuses on our similarities.", the ebony hedgehog's characteristics had melted to an unpleasant conglomerate of dark thoughts, arms crossed before his chest. "Was she trying to tell him that Knuckles was killed because he knew something?"

Sonic shook his head. "What piece of information could be so deadly, for Chaos' sake? I mean, how could Knuckles know something about us without _us_ knowing it?"

Through the simple train of thought of his rival, Shadow figured the missing piece of his mental puzzle._ Knuckles knew something about us that we ourselves didn't know. _

Before they realise it, the motley trio had reached their destination. The detector on Tails' wrist blinked scarlet in front of a closed door.

* * *

The latest twenty four hours of Mark Andrews' life had been surreally normal.

Sitting in a silent circle around the kitchen table, the middle-aged cop, his wife and their younger son exchanged casual glances in a well-respected ritual of family alienation. It was ironic, in its own irritating way; the man usually had to do with underaged criminals, all of which complained about destroyed homes and parental negligence. And yet there he was, looking at a woman he no longer loved, and a child to whom he was virtually a remote acquaiantance.

Heck, the boy would always call him Mark. There was no father, nobody to cling on to. Just that taciturn old fellow that brought money to the house and confined himself to carrying his sullen face around the place for the rest of their shared time.

"You didn't touch your dinner. Don't you like it?"

The officer raised a pair of tired eyes to meet hers. Deep wrinkles had started to make their appearance, harassing their corners; The eyes of a woman in complete surrender. How had they come to this? His mind tries to remember. There had been so much love in that room. So much affection.

But then came the kids. And his proffessional life that couldn't allow him to have any spare time.

And then came Serena Black, the most lovable being he had ever met.

_And she had always loved him._

"It's very good, Carrie. I-I was just thinking of something...", he didn't add the words "about the case" at the end of the sentence. Instead, he exhaled slowly, deeply, as though his problems would fly away into the atmosphere along with the carbon dioxide.

Plus, the food was terrible. Carrie had possibly spilt half a barrel of salt inside the casserole.

In a desperate attempt to avoid the two faces sitting opposite from him, Andrews hurriedly plucked yesterday's newspaper and pretended he was deeply immersed in some random scientific article.

_" ...reports of cloning and genetic manipulation experiments. The perfect reproduction of an organic being by implanting the subject's genes in the womb of one or multiple female volunteers isn't a new idea. But bioethics used to be deeply concerned with regards to the repercussions of this process, while there still was the problem of the final product sharing the same age with its donor and dying precociously. New data, however, from the latest researches on this popular subject have shown that, not only is cloning without side effects possible, but that one can also create variations of the same subject by changing the sequence of proteins in certain parts of the DNA chain that correspond to the characteristics we want to change. The chain itself, made of deoxyribonucleic acid, is-_

He left the paper tumble its way to the floor. Its pages danced with the air until they all got scattered all over the carpet, and smiling faces of politicians were staring at the old male from everywhere.

_They are similar by all means. _, he thought. _That's what Serena was trying to tell me. Apart from minor details. The eyes, for example. And the- _

The woman's scribble filled his view. The secret is in the blue color.

_Blue color! That was their major difference! The color of Sonic's fur. _

His lips were smiling for no reason, eliciting concerned looks by his wife and son. He couldn't quit the case, not now.

Not now that he was about to solve it, and all thanks to a ridiculous paper whose propaganda he used to hate.

His eyes looked again at the faces, and they all looked at him back from their yellowish prison. One of them was different; it didn't belong to a politician, and nor did it belong to some kind of single-use superstar. And, for the first time, it wasn't wearing sunglasses.

Mark Andrews' heart stopped, a slight tremor made its way through his spine.

The case was solved, but now it was impossible to celebrate about it. The only emotion flooding his heart was the sheer dread of a hornet trapped within a bottle, the metallic fear of the ice cubes swimming in their own molten self, the brazen terror frozen forever on Knuckles' lifeless face.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Ultima Necat**

_**"Vulnerant omnes, ultima necat" (they all hurt but the last one kills)~inscription the Romans would carve on the back of their clocks. **_

_**~People laugh and people cry  
**__**feelings live and feelings die  
But no matter how hard I try  
I cannot stop being a lie. **_

_**Ignorant I've been-naive;  
but with the last tick of the clock  
my existence overcome with shock  
half will die, and half shall live.**_

* * *

"I think I'd better go for a walk.", he told his startled wife.

Before anyone in the kitchen could pose a protest, police officer Mark Andrews had hurriedly grabbed his coat and left.

As soon as the door had been slammed behind him, a gust of cold, winter air blew straight in his face; the sun had long set, and the only moving thing within the deserted streets were the leaves that, despite the hour, continued their desperate dance with the wind.

The old cop's steps led him to the small port. It seemed empty, as it usually was in the evening, and the waves were battling their fierce intercourse with the rocks. Wrapping both arms around his torso, pulling the soft fabric closer, he stayed there, immobile, frozen, and the weirdest of notions dawned on him: those Van Der Waals' bonds, weak and molecular, could literally devour an enormous solid mass, shape it, eliminate it. Who would have guessed water was so powerful?

Reality has this peculiar ability, to present itself reversed sometimes. But, no matter what the truth was, all it took to reach it was just a close look.

_A close look..._

But for the sudden enthusiasm, he had forgotten to wear his glasses, a fact that hampered his vision. However, up ahead in the distance, close to the northern end of the harbor, a faint halo of red could be distinguished. Gradually, more details came to light; some touches of pink, the shape of a young woman's body.

A pang of panic crawled up Andrews' spine as soon as the data was processed through the mainframe. As though in hallucination, with the raw excitement of a kid that meets its favorite rock star in person, the middle-aged man recognised the Sphinx. An unmoving shadow staring at the chaos underneath, the almost surreal image gave the girl a quality that seemed almost etheral; the key to the mystery was standing right there, real, alive, and it was terrifying, because, for the first time, she wasn't just a face on a worn photograph found in a crime scene.

_Rose or Rouge, something girly and cheesy. _

She was very different from the carefree, vivacious, perfectly healthy gal on the paper; thin to the point of malnourishment, considerably more mature, and with her shoulders slightly bent, as though she carried the burdens of the whole world, the rosy hedgehog gave off the impression of a thoroughly broken person; the impression he had recognised in himself when, in front of all his gathered colleagues and with the fear of being seen by his family, he kissed the life out of Serena's lips.

_Why is she leaning over the edge?_

But there was something else about the unworldly and vacant way those green eyes gazed at the ocean, that gave the cop a premonition; was the Sphinx thinking of _hurting_ herself?

_Of committing- _

Without discussing it with his head first, Mark Andrews' feet had started moving of their own accord, pacing towards the girl. The world had ominously turned silent, empty; there was only the Sphinx flirting with the idea of an untimely end, the frenetic beating of his heart as he tried to reach her, the heavy sound of his steps.

When the male finally was behind the woman, he abstractly reminded himself to start working out sometime in the near future; over fifty years old, and with a schedule whose majority involved tones of paper work, Mark Andrews was breathless.

"Not so fast, young lady. I think we gotta take care of some things first."

The Sphinx slowly turned around, their eyes met.

Amy immediately recognised the police officer that had taken over the case of her lover's murderer; the officer that hadn't managed to save Sonic from prison. All she did in response was giving him a sour look.

"Screw you" she said, and jumped.

* * *

The worst part about drowning isn't the lack of oxygen that causes the brain to malfunction and ultimately die; it is the unspeakable terror that tyrannizes over the senses upon the rough contact with the water surface. It almost burns the skin, razor-sharp and violent. Then, there's the sound of your body as it tears the waves, that reaches the ears like a gunshot.

At least, that's what _she_ found out.

And after that there was total silence. The tired beating of a heart. The desperate pumping of her blood within the veins. The instictive need to breathe, overwhelming, torturing, excruciating.

Peace...

_It's cold. _

Images. Slide after slide, they march beneath shut eyelids, creating a personal album of cherished memories; the perfect present goodbye.

_...And she ran, carefree and happy, savoring the music of the forest within her ears. Trees rustled and birds sang their summertime sonatas, and she, a young woman on a floating island, was playing like a small child with the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Loved. She was loved. _

_He had now reached her, and they tripped over some nest and fell on the soft grass, battling and laughing at the same time, similar and different and forever in love. _

The dream came to an end roughly, without warning; all of a sudden, Knuckles was dead again, and she, a crumpled doll in the water, looked around, startled.

Mark Andrews' eyes penetrated hers yet again.

And a strong arm grabbed her.

* * *

The room was simply equipped with control panels and a few leather armchairs; on the eastern wall, there was a graph indicating the whereabouts of the seven Chaos Emeralds; in front of it, lying in an uncomfortable position and soaked in his own blood, was a middle-aged human.

And, from his outfit, Shadow could immediately tell he was a GUN superior.

The three immediately rushed to help the wounded male. Someone had shot him twice, with a short-range weapon, and one of the bullets had phenomenically hit his liver. Causing him to bleed to death.

Tails saw it from the first glance.

"He ain't gonna make it.", the kitsune whispered coarsely. "There are so many small veins supporting the human liver, that are now broken inside him. Along with the five main arteries -neck, upper thigh, inner arm- this is the perfect spot; if you want to guarantee one's death, that is."

Shadow shook his head, eyes quietly roaming the surroundings and reaching a halt on the graph.

"This place must have been deserted for a long time now.", he said darkly. "Whoever this guy is, he was looking for the Chaos Emeralds. And, judging from his high position in the GUN-"

"You are not trying to tell us that this building has stopped functioning as a GUN branch?", the mere thought sent a shiver through the twin-tailed child prodigy's spine. Things were getting a little too convoluted, even for his mind. Some high-profile agent running riot and trying to manipulate Chaos Energy wasn't exactly the kind of news the press was ever likely to overleap as insignificant. It would spark a _scandal._

"Why not? I mean, it's obvious that the dude was looking for the Chaos Emeralds.", Sonic declared his presence, causing the other two to face him. "And if our theory is correct, then he wasn't alone. Someone betrayed him-"

"Wait, Sonic.", with an indefinite gesture, the ebony hybrid made his comrade fall silent. "Tails, your detector had indicated that the Emeralds are in here."

The fox nodded, trying to follow Shadow's train of thought. "Yes. What with that?"

"Where are they?"

It was not until that moment that the three turned their head towards the opposite side and noticed the window; it ws gaping open, and the calm winter breeze was slipping gracefully under the curtains. Up ahead in the distance, a red hovercraft was rapidly moving away.

"It's Eggman. We arrived seconds late.", Sonic murmured under clenched teeth. Then, the blue hedgehog turned to his sidekick. "Where is he heading? What does the signal say?"

Tails glanced at his wrist and his face traits melted to a mask of confusion. "It's heading north. But I don't understand."

"What is it that you don't understand?"

The yellow kitsune gave his friends a shrug.

"Its destination seems to be the harbor. What can Robotnik possibly be looking for there?"

A memory emerged vaguely within Sonic's mind. They had had a major fight one day, over a date he had -intentionally-forgotten. And before he could apologise, she had disappeared and was nowhere to be found. It was one of the worst days of his life. He had searched the whole city, looking for her. And during all that time, Amy had been at a specific place, that would later become "her spot".

"Amy.", he called her name out loud, and a pang of pain pinched his heart. "He's looking for Amy."

* * *

Mark Andrews' coat was around Amy's trembling shoulders.

For a great deal of minutes, they both stayed silent, watching the extravaganza underneath; it was a beautiful evening, and the moon, ignoring the worldly exasperation, was leaning over the sea, looking at its own silver reflection.

God had undoubtedly chosen for himself a pretty big mirror.

"Thanks for helping Sonic escape.", she stammered. "He...he means a lot to me."

The old cop had closed his eyes, listening to the delicate froathing of the waves as they splashed against the hard concrete. It took some time for him to realise that the girl had actually pronounced her first dozen of words since he had dragged her, almost unconscious, out of the water.

"I think we two have a lot to discuss, young miss.", he told the petite girl next to him, and a smile was slowly formed on his lips. "Like, care to tell me, how did your lover find out Eggman created Sonic?"

* * *

**DUN DUN DUUUUUN. **

**Anyway, a huge thank you to all of my wonderful reviewers till now, especially to my friend Storm337, OxyJay (for her/his (?) valid comments and suggestions), and shortybubbles27, for her engagement in this crazy fic of mine. **

**Again, I need to apologise for some elements, like the small flashback in the beginning that may have confused some of you, and the overall craziness of this... **

**Ummm, the next chapter won't be the last, I am afraid. This is turning out to be longer than I had initially planned it to be. **

**See ya~**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12: Family Matters**

**_~"And the __Lord God__ formed man of the slime of the earth: and breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul."  
(The Bible, Genesis) _**

**_~Life out of life;  
vanity or aspiration?_**

**_Me and you so similar, so different.  
Soul into the machine._**

**_But I miss you._**  
**_And thus my nature decided_**  
**_instead of hating you_**  
**_because of what you are_**  
**_to love what you are_**  
**_because it's you._**

* * *

_Knuckles and I had known each other for long before we finally got together. _

_What can I say about him? He was a complex guy, short-tempered and lonely, but with a big, brave heart. He'd always complain about how Sonic ignored my feelings and ultimately ended up hurting me; too bad it took so much time for me to realise why. _

_Tell me, mr. Andrews, has it ever happened to you to lose a loved person? I wish it hasn't, because you seem so kind. But in case you are familiar with the feeling, with that enormous bleeding gap inside your entrails, then you must understand my desperation. There are always so many things to be confessed, so many adventures to live; and we usually end up staying idle and silent, because there's this common notion among people, that those we hold dear will live forever. _

_See? He never knew. My lover never heard from my lips that he wasn't simply a rebound, a way for me to escape the emotional hysteria his friend would always put me through. That the day I leaned in and kissed him, right up there, before the shrine, it wasn't because he had just saved my life, and nor was it because of his caring demeanor towards me; it was because little Amy had grown up, and her feelings where those of a young woman that seeked love, peace, and not passion. _

_Knuckles never knew I would now choose him over anyone else in the world. _

_I never quite figured out how he had learnt about Sonic's secret; my lover wasn't very keen on discussing about it, probably because he feared that, the more I found out, the quicker I would bring trouble upon myself. But I have this impression that he had accidentally overheard a conversation during a mission on Eggman's base. According to which, the Doctor, in an attempt to repeat -and perfectionize- Proffessor Gerald's research on artificial intelligence, had taken samples of Project Shadow's DNA and made some enhancements. _

_The result was the world's greatest hero and fastest thing alive. _

_Since then, Knuckles would collect as much data as he he could on the subject. It became clear what had gone wrong; the new life form turned out to be so independent on intelligence terms that slowly developed its own morals. It's biology and evolution, really; even artificial newborns are like sponges who absorb new information and develop their own persona. Eggman never thought of this. _

_So, Sonic's morals urged him to oppose the Doctor. My guess is, and judging from the fact that Sonic didn't remember his parents or had specific childhood memories, that Robotnik tried to reverse the damage by causing the subject amnesia. _

_And the subject, somehow, escaped. _

_Don't you see now, officer, why our enemy would kill for this piece of information? Do you imagine what a total humiliation it would be if it ever were found out by the vast public, that Eggman created the source of his constant defeat? That his vanity urged him to achieve perfection, a perfection he, as a flawed human being couldn't have, only for it to be turned against him? _

_And Knuckles thought he could ensure the safety of the Master Emerald by threatening him! Foolish animal, the tide was soon turned against us, so much so that we had to hide. I mean, who would expect that the guardian of the Angel Island wasn't any longer on the Angel Island?_

_Apparently, the Doctor did. _

_I didn't really want to leave all of our friends and just hide, so I never actually moved in, until Knuckles was dead and Robotnik after me. So, my lover was killed alone in some cheap apartment of the slums. It was the perfect opportunity for Eggman to trap Sonic. By promising political power within the reign of Eggmanland to some schizophrenic GUN superior and his team, he practically had the Law by his side. And the catch is, no one really objected, since a reckless and highly popular vigilante always gets on the Police's nerves. _

_Since Sonic couldn't get caught by himself, presenting him to the public as a murderer of another hero would wrench his ego, and turn the whole world against him. So practically, it deprived him of his freedom. _

_And of course, the police would hand the subject back to its creator for repairs. _

_In the meantime, and while the awkwardness of the case kept the whole team busy, the enemy grabbed the opportunity and collected all the Chaos Emeralds. _

_This is how it all came to this. So many people suffering because of some random guy's obsession with world domination. _

* * *

Amy fell silent. Now that the narration was over, and she had poured all of herself into every word spoken, there was a pleasant feeling of emptiness beneath her ribcage; not the kind of gap that implied the absence of things to say, but one that came as the result of an honest confession. Slowly, the cop's coat slipped from her shoulders; it wasn't so cold anymore.

"But tell me, mr. Andrews, how did_ you_ find out?", shyly, a weak smile was formed on a pair of thin lips.

The officer let out a small sigh.

"Well, my partner, Serena, left me a piece of paper before she...she was killed.", his voice was barely audible as it pronounced the last word, as though the air in the atmosphere was suddently not enough. The hedgehog gave a slight nod in understanding, trying to ignore that small trace of guilt that pinched her heart at the thought of the deceased female.

"Did you love her?", she hadn't intended to let the question out; it had somehow escaped her lips without waiting for approval. Andrews remained silent for what seemed like an eternity before he gave a slight nod with the head.

"I never let her know, either."

Amy looked at her interlocutor and recognised the same desperation she was trying to describe moments ago. Her mind was frantically skimming through lists of possible replies to that. Apparently, none of them seemed to reverse anything.

"So, what did the paper say?", she ultimately asked.

_It said she had always loved me, _Mark Andrews flinched in his seat at the memory. The girl obviously had nothing to do with his personal extramarital love drama.

"Well, it focused on Sonic and Shadow's similarities. Like, for example, they've both showed strong feelings of attatchment towards two different human females in the past. Or, their strong defiance towards difficult situations. But most of all, it focused on Sonic's blue color."

The comment elicited a cheerless laugh from the younger one.

"Yes, ironic, isn't it? Sonic's trademark fur color, something presumably entirely his, was just a variation Eggman created in order to put_ his_ seal on _his_ creation."

"The eyes are a mirror that reflects who we are.", the officer whispered, as though addressing some random thought to himself.

"Well, exactly. He gave his artificial son the color of his eyes."

"Blue."

"Blue."

In an incredible showcase of synchronicity, words failed them both at the same time. So, as though due to some unspoken contract, they both remained taciturn, gazing peacefully at the horizon ahead. Midnight had long passed, and the waves had abated to a small agitation on the water surface; the slow trickling produced sounded coarse, like an apologetic lullaby.

"Oh, and there's this other thing I wanted to ask.", the middle-aged cop told Amy, and in the backyard of his mind, the friendliness of the line struck him as peculiar; the girl standing before him was no more a ghost, no more a chimera through the paper. She was real, a living person like all living persons, fragile and beautiful like the wings of a butterfly.

She was a girl that could have been his daughter. But that, for some strange parameter of causality, wasn't.

"Yes?"

"About the Master Emerald. According to the press it was stolen -but should this be true, Eggman would have made his move by now. This makes me think that what was stolen was just a piece of glass to misguide potential predators. So, where's the real one?"

The rosy girl replied with a smile.

"People never seem to get it. The piece of glass _was_ the Emerald. But what makes those stones precious isn't the material they are made of, but the energy they hide. An energy only the Guardian knows how to control. And I don't mean control as in usage, like Shadow manipulates space and time. I am talking about _control. _"

At a complete loss, as an ominous idea had started to dawn on him, Mark Andrews nodded that she could continue.

"You still don't see it, Mr. Andrews? Knuckles transferred the energy of the Emerald to the only place he _trusted. _Chaos is power enriched by the heart, isn't it? Well, he chose a heart disposed to do anything for him."

Universes and systems were ornamenting the sky, piercing the black velvet ahead. The dim moonlight was describing the shocked figure of an old male staring in sheer dread at the young woman standing before him. And everyone stopped and stared when, in the shadows of the world, where he would never be seen, an egg-shaped man overheard the last phrases spoken.

"I _am_ the Master Emerald."

* * *

**Oh, gawwd, more craziness! I hope this is not getting grueling, urrrghhh...**

**And FF dot Net keeps EATING this chap...B(**

**Again, Thanks to the same persons mentioned in the previous chap, with the addition of the best friend one can have, the one and only ShadeCrystal ;) Thanks buddy, for making my life better :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13: Apocalypsis**

_**~I am your father, I am your pain  
I am your death and your disdain  
I am thy friend, thy enemy  
I am you and you are me. **_

_**My nemesis, my friend, my son  
you are my nightmare and my fun  
You 're my creation, you're my blood  
You are mine and I'm your God. **_

* * *

_Mors certa ed hora incerta. _

The phrase keeps swirling within his head, for no particular reason. Mark Andrews can't remember where he's first heard of it, and nor does he know what it actually means. The only sure thing, it is in latin; and, for some ominous whim of the mind, it seems to suit their current situation perfectly.

"Amy..."

Thick drops of sweat tumbling between eyebrows, the utmost threat looming above; the voice itself, rough and paralyzing like the contact with a spider web. Eggman had been there the whole time. Masks down. Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.

Silence all over the world. Heart empty, broken to unleash the darkness within. And, just like that, just when Time itself stretches itself towards Infinity, a mere movement of her head, as she raises her gorgeous green eyes and stares at the killer of her whole life. No tears, no gleam of hatred, no trace of hope, no feeling lies in that brazen stare; just the emptiness of a person that has stopped living.

To live means to feel, and she cannot allow that to herself. Not anymore.

"Just take me with you.", the officer's eyes grow wide at that phenomenically outrageous request. But the rosy hedgehog has had enough of that game of predator and prey. She can't care about the world. Her world has ceased to exist long ago.

"Take me with you -It will make things easier for both of us."

The older male is staring at his newly obtained ally with sorrow imbued in his facial expression. Andrews opens his mouth several times in order to utter something, but upon the phrase's arrival between his teeth, words lose their meaning. _The man she loves is gone. _

_The woman I love is gone. _

The Doctor's face contorts to something that, due to the lack of a more appropriate description, shall be named a malignant smile.

"Very well then", he virtually growls. "I shall abide by your wishes, young lady of mine."

Slide by slide, images pass before Amy's eyes, blurred by an unhealthy overdose of adrenaline and panic. Eggman pulls a lever, the ship dives toward her. And then, just then, the brave officer decides to do the most idiotic mistake ever commited by a thinking organism.

He sees his children in the green ocean of that girl's eyes. He pictures her emotional death carved upon their faces.

And strides towards Amy, making himself a living shield.

_Mors certa ed hora certa. _

Certain death and certain hour, officer.

* * *

He runs towards the harbor faster than the speed of light, the Universe is a mass of racing color and interchanging dimentions. Muscles in turmoil, physical and emotional pain negligible, drugged by the overmastering need to see her.

But he arrives seconds late. His love cannot reach her.

Mark Andrews' dead body lying on the pavement seems to be mocking at him.

"God, no.", the exclamation escapes his lips as his companions arrive at the crime scene. "He killed the officer. And-and-" -Sonic's voice cracks- "and he has Amy with him."

Tails kneels down by the corpse. There is an indecipherable shadow in his eyes, as they roll up and down, searching for the cause of Andrews' death. The body is in a worryingly good shape.

"I don't understand", the twin-tailed child prodigy rubs his eyes. "He must have invented some new kind of ray. It is not directly traceable."

A scowl appears on Sonic's face. "I am not afraid of the Doctor."

Palm on shoulder. His brother has left the officer, and he is now standing beside him. "Don't act on impulse this time, Sonic. He is playing with us."

"I don't give a damn. We'd better act now or- or...if something happens to her-"

Words fail him, because no matter what, he still remains the committed hero he has always been, and showing real emotion is not supposed to be his cup of tea. Not when the whole world is at stake.

He takes a deep breath and speaks again. A lower, calmer tone this time.

"Let's get going."

A motley duo, hedgehog and fox rapidly abandon the scene. And Shadow, that hasn't spoken a world since their arrival, stands there, immobile, arms crossed before his chest. And Shadow, whose eyelids haven't moved a mere millimeter since their arrival, makes sure no one is watching, and lets a single tear tumble down his cheek.

"Some humans truly are quite something.", is his sole comment. And then, as expressionless and restrained as before, but with a million feelings piercing through his heart, he hovers towards his friends and rivals.

* * *

Death, darkness and decay. A pallid doll with the shape of a human being lies on the grey plancks of the pavement, soul crawling before God's doorstep.

Silence. Peace. The first touches of orange breathe the morning air, traces of gold float on the unmoving water. A thin layer of winter mist covers the harbor, and the street lights are only dim halos in the distance.

Water licking rock, the unrythmical breath of the Universe. And, in a second of cosmic madness when nobody can hear or see, a skinny woman dressed in a simple yellow dress walks towards the body and kneels beside it.

Mark Andrews opens his eyes and sees her.

And smiles with the thorough, radiant smile of a man that meets with the dream of a lifetime.

She smiles back. Her hands fumble at his side in search of his. When they find them, they cling on to them firmly, until small veins start to pop out.

"Good morning", she whispers.


	14. Chapter 14

**The Last Revelation **

_**'Tis an abused B-movie cliche`  
but even I have found myself in this uncomfortable situation  
when you lower your head, hold your eyes shut  
and able to do nothing about it  
you listen to the man that has destroyed your life confess:**_

_**"I am your father."**_

* * *

Tails had predicted things would eventually come to this, and thus he had already modified his famous Tornado so that it could easily carry three persons. Now they all were in mid-air, not uttering a word- minds racing.

Shadow was feeling like a fish out of the water, a sentiment he wasn't familiar with; he was now part of a new team, the team of his rival he used to call a faker. And, much to his surprise, the erratic duet had welcomed him with trust and kind-heartedness.

Not to mention he wasn't used to travelling on anything else than his beloved hoverboots. Feeling the cool breeze razor-sharp on his face, taking a glimpse at the sprinting tones of geography underneath, made him feel slightly nauseated. If only he had an emerald, we would be able to chaos-control them all- directly to Eggman's fleet.

The twin-tailed child prodigy, known to the world as Tails, was utterly upset, even though he was trying desperately not to show his comrades. Eyes focused on their floating destination, reflexes in overdrive so as to avoid incoming missiles and hostile ships, he wouldn't speak a word to save his life. He knew that his brother was easygoing and reckless most of the times, but this one was different. A disarmingly ominous hunch was swirling within the fox' head for the last few days; something would go wrong.

Then, there was Sonic, truly worried for the first time in his life. His friend was dead, the kind officer was dead, the Master Emerald missing. Amy loved him no more, and was now in the Doctor's hands. Plus, his name would now be number one in the police's list of wanted criminals.

Tails' frustrating statement was constantly running through his head. _Robotnik is using some new kind of ray that causes instant death_._ It's not directly traceable._

This adventure was progressively urging the cobalt hero to realise what it means to be the savior of the world. It wasn't a game. Wasn't supposed to be fun. It could mean losing the woman you want. Losing your brother. Your friends. Anything.

Holding back an unwanted tear, mentally repeating to himself that he was Sonic and that everything would be back to normal as always, he turned his head towards his teammates, and virtually stammered:

"If anything happens, yannow, to any of us... you two should know that your presence means a lot to me."

Understanding what he was trying to say, they simply nodded.

* * *

"You are going to die tonight.", Eggman informed her conversationally. "Too bad, miss Rose, that you won't be able to see the tormenting way your friends will join you."

Amy frowned, apathetically. She was cuffed, positioned before a huge piece of machinery that looked like a hypertrophic weapon. Having spent all of her life worrying about others, the girl felt it was high time she became selfish. "I don't care.", she snapped, totally reticent.

The doctor shrugged in response, raising one eyebrow not to be seen behind his glasses. His upcoming victory had rendered him unusually cheerful, and nobody, not even that sulky pink furball, would spoil that.

" You will, when this baby sucks the Master Emerald's energy out of your frail little body, my dear." , the fat old man chirped, fondling the flank of his creation the way a proud parent does with their offspring.

The woman laughed dryly. "Aw, it's fine I'm open to new experiences. I'd _love_ to see how it is to be the battery." -the sarcasm was blatant.

Her mad interlocutor was ready to respond, when a deafening thud echoed, successively causing the metallic walls to tremble. Eggman's smile widened, horrifyingly.

"Well m' lady, your wish shall become true shortly.", he declared, eyeing her. "The Tornado has just arrived."

* * *

"EGGMAN!", the azure speedster's voice filled the round chamber, as he arrived at the scene. "Leave her alone! I am the one you want!"

"My, my, what a rude guest to set foot on my humble abode.", the doctor commented theatrically. "Hello, my deplorable rival. Do you want some tea before we start?"

Sonic crossed his arms impatiently. This was becoming unnerving, even for him. "We 've had enough of your complacent hokus-pokus, Egghead. Now, let Amy leave. She's done nothing wrong. You don't need her. I am the one that causes you trouble."

The mad scientist let out a thunderous laugh at the exclamation.

"God, you only see the surface of each matter don't you hedgehog? Well, let me inform you, Mr. Spiky Rodent, that I need Amy in order to operate the weapon with which I shall destroy you once and for all.", he chuckled, and then added, " You see, Knuckles implanted her the Master Emerald's Energy as a means to protect it. She is no more a random brat -she is the new Master Emerald, didn't you know?"

The hedgehog's eyes widened in realisation, as he instantly veered his head to face Tails, with eyes that said, _so, you were right._

Then, he turned his attention back to Eggman. "I won't let you touch her, not even a single spine from her head."

Hovering on his floating armchair, the oversized human approached the enormous device and pulled a lever. "Whoops, I just did.", he croaked happily.

All of a sudden, Shadow, that hadn't spoken a word since their arrival, jolted forward in utter desperation, virtually screaming. "NO!"

Not turning to face him, Eggman simply sighed. "Aww, I see you are having a change of heart, Shadow. Too bad nothing can be done about it."

The phrase hit Sonic's ears like a gunshot. Memories flashed like a vertiginous slideshow before his eyes. A few mental synapses, and suddenly he knew everything had been according to plan, all along. He should slap himself for not noticing earlier.

_The paper attatched on Andrews' door. Shadow had been there when the cop came out, and startled, he had reassured the latter of having seen nothing. _  
_Shadow had flanked the cop with the excuse that he wanted to help the investigation. Sure, it was a convenient way to find out what Andrews knew and to what extent the middle aged officer could pose a threat on their plan._  
_Their visit at the GUN. Some lunatic GUN superior had been helping the police. Shadow had recently been promoted. Who else would be able to disclose so much information on the Sonic Team, other than a person that had once joined it? _

The blue hero turned to face his sidekick for one more time. The fox' traits had melted to a mask of worry. Before anyone could utter a word, Shadow had responded. This time he was addressing his cobalt rival.

"I'm really sorry. I had never known about the Emerald, or Amy, or that it would come to this. All he had told me was to put you in jail by turning the police against you-at a price. When I got to know officer Andrews, when I realized my mistake- ", he paused, at a loss of words, and then shrugged in shame."Then I honestly found myself engaged in your investigation. If anything, my contribution after that was honest."

Cursing the salty liquid burning behind his green orbs, feeling incorrigibly stupid, Sonic stuttered. "What for, Shadow? What in the world could possibly buy my trust, my friendship, _my fucking happiness?" _

The ebony hybrid lowered his gaze, declaring guilty. "Maria. He told me he had the names of those that killed her.", he flinched, giving the impression that, had he been programmed to cry, tears would be now running down his muzzle. "I am not like you, Faker. Or you, fox. I am an utterly broken being. All I wanted was vengeance for the one I loved."

Upon hearing that last phrase, Sonic rushed forward, insenced, but was stopped by Tails. "What about the one_ I LOVE_, you Ultimate idiot? She is going to be sacrificed, but for your carelessness and this man's obsession with world domination, are you content about it?"

The word "love" had been immediately followed by a subtle feminine yelp, as Amy had started sobbing, quietly, from her metallic grave. Shadow took a glance at her wet emerald irises, then at his rival, and idientifyied his own desperation within that blank stare. Amy meant to Sonic what Maria meant to himself. He was going to cause the pain that was caused to him.

The realization felt like a punch in the stomach.

"I told you, I knew nothing about it. All I knew was my mission, and the prize. I learned things the same time you did. And now-", he took a deep breath, and addressed the Doctor. "You don't need her. I've got loads of Chaos Energy pumping through my veins. I was created so."

He looked one last time back at his friends and rivals. They looked at him back, inquisitively. He listened to Amy's silent torture. He pictured the brave officer, decaying in his wet grave. He breathed in. He breathed out. He smiled.

"Take_ me_ as your battery.", he said.

* * *

When the impact produced by the rough contact with the floor spread through her body, when numbness subjugated every inch of her flesh, when she felt Sonic's arms encasing her, when she felt his tears on her cheek, when his voice breathed in her ear that it was gonna be okay, she said nothing.

When Shadow's growls reached her - the voice of someone slowly devoided from their power and life- she said nothing.

She only ventured to open her mouth when she saw Sonic -the man she had so light-heartedly betrayed- jolt forward, followed by his sidekick, Tails. She desperately tried to create sound, meaning, to tell them that she couldn't stand losing three of her friends in a single day. That losing Knuckles was enough. That she was so terribly sorry.

Though, no voice would come out. Only the unearthly screams of a desperate person she vaguely realised she had produced.

Then everything became a blur. The red and yellow from the planks of the floor interwined with each other, more and more, into a fiery orange. A blue and a yellow dot were rapidly changing positions around a huge patch of black and red in the distance, her exhausted mind recognised as the piece of machinery killing Shadow. Rapid fire and missiles were flying to every possible direction, some of them missing their target and exploding like shooting stars against the metallic walls.

The battle,yet another paranoid war in the history of existence, had begun. And, like in every other paranoid war in the history of existence, to the eyes of the onlookers, everything occured in a single moment, in total silence.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Before she realized, it was all over. Maybe it was in a dream that she had seen the huge patch of black and red collide against the wall, and the lifeless mass of cells that used to be Shadow fall to the floor with a resounding thump. Maybe she had just imagined Sonic run towards his dying arch nemesis, take the round shaped face between his two palms. Maybe she had just thought that the hero's lips had moved, forming the inevitable question.

"Why...?"

"B- because..."

And maybe, just maybe her tired brain had only made up the fact that, when Eggman's lips formed the response, an ungodly scream came out of Sonic's throat.

"...I created you."

* * *

**A/N: ...And this was the ending to a story that started back in 2009. Thank you all for reading it, for reviewing and faving. I might write an epilogue to this fic when time and inspiration are enough. **

**..Gawd I posted this chapter three times and the site keeps rejecting it... T_T**


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